Mind, Body, and Soul
by sassykitten1701
Summary: The feelings are there, but denial runs strong, fear runs deep, and insecurities drown out dreams. Rated M for language, adult themes, and yes, LEMONY GOODNESS in later chapters. I do NOT own Fairy Tail, only Hiro Mashima does. Partial crackship with GajeelxLevyXBickslow. BDSM themes, you have been warned. If you don't like, please move on. If not, come on in, & leave a review plz!
1. MBS Refreshed

Mind, Body, and Soul (Refreshed)

Hello all of our favorite readers! Sassykitten1701 here, I'd like to welcome you back to Mind, Body, and Soul. For those of you who have already been following this story, thank you from the bottom of my heart, the reviews have been amazing, and so supportive, that it has helped keep me going.

That being said, after looking back on the chapters, while I felt that the chapters were decent, I also felt that the chapters could use a bit more...well...oomph. So after having already asked the wonderful Desna for permission to use her own Pradesh family oc's in this story, I approached her again, with an inkling of an idea.

That idea, well, needless to say, took off far more amazingly then I ever expected. Desna embraced the idea, and after much jumping around to various scenes that will later appear in this story, we have gone back over the current chapters, and refreshed them, adding, tweaking, adjusting for additional flairs that will hopefully pull you even further into the adventure. In other words, Desna and I are now working together on bringing you this AU of a Fairy Tail adventure.

So now, after a far longer haitus than I had been planning to update the next chapter, the new chapters are being posted in one fell swoop, and I, we, can only hope that you all enjoy.

And please remember folks, to read and review! It is what helps keep us going, and where you can make suggestions that Desna and I will then discuss and see if it will fit.

Thank you and good reading!

~ ^.^ ~


	2. Chapter 1

MBS Chapter 1 Reaching Out

It was happening again.

Even knowing it was just a dream, it wasn't real, Bickslow could feel the ache in his chest. He knew the rare two soulmates he had found would never look at him the way their dream selves were. That didn't stop him from reaching for them though. Here in his dream, he let his soul cry out for them. He was careful, ever so careful in everyday life to not touch either of them. He didn't want the additional pain of actually knowing what the warming of their skin under his hands felt like. Or the change in their eyes as they saw each other across the guildhall.

He hungered, like someone starved. He craved as much to be a part of that, to be a part of them. But he knew they would never want him, especially if they knew the truth about him.

Here though, in his dreams, he could be with them both and be happy. He could indulge. He could reach for her and pull her into his chest, press his lips into hers and savor the feel of her. He could reach out to the heavy mane of his other soulmate, thread his fingers through the thick depths of it, bend himself so his shoulder pressed into the heavier one of his soulmate, so his mouth could be beneath his, so the full lips of his soulmate could take his from above, he could submit eagerly and have his kiss taken, devoured greedily by the larger mage. Here he could let go and savor it all and be who he wished to be every moment of the day.

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She woke with a muffled cry, lip caught between her teeth as she pressed a fist to her chest,

rubbing the place over her heart. Swallowing hard against a dry mouth, Levy stared out of her bedroom window lost in thought, not seeing the blue and red feathered robin singing in the branches of the tree outside of her home.

She didn't know what was happening to her lately; at completely random moments she would have this over-whelming urge to cry. And it wasn't a cry of frustration like she couldn't find her favorite book. No, the urge was much larger, much deeper, the pain stabbing across her heart and even soul.

It had become an almost constant ache, sometimes worse, sometimes better, and it always seemed to ease when she was around Gajeel or when Bickslow would pass by where she was sitting. She dreamed about both men….dreams she didn't feel she could tell anyone about, not even Lucy. They were dreams so unlike her, of being with them both, sometimes separately, but sometimes, like tonight, both of them were in her bed with her…. Even when it eased though the ache never fully went away. What did it mean?!

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On the other side of Magnolia, curses and thuds could be heard coming from inside of a small,

dimly lit cabin. It sat on the edge of Magnolia, near the forest, allowing for some quiet to keep the dragon slayer that lived there some company. Being in a guild as crazy as Fairy Tail allowed for a certain kind of peace, but very little quiet.

This morning however, peace was an allusive companion; instead its brother, chaos, sat heavily upon Gajeels shoulders, smirking as the iron dragon slayer attempted to tear a hole in the reinforced punching bag hanging from his ceiling. It was thanks to Levy that the punching bag was still even in one piece. Over the years, as she had grown stronger, so had her runes. He remembered the day he had approached her about reinforcing some of his gym equipment. The giggle and rolling eye had had him smirking, but the gaze he felt boring into his back had kept him on edge.

He honestly didn't know what to do right now, let alone how to approach a matter like this. The only one who actually knew of his current problem was Lily, and that was only because they were roommates and Lily had been witness to Gajeels muttering and tossing and turning in his sleep. Too many nights of cold showers, and waking up in sweat soaked sheets while calling out two names, had led to a very uncomfortable morning of questions.

Even now, he could feel Lily's worried gaze on him from where he was standing at the door to the small in-home gym.

"Another rough night Gajeel?" Lily asked softly, staying where he was because he could tell his friend was on the verge of tearing things apart. The last thing Lily needed was to have something get chucked at his head. Instead, the crimson eyed glare he got from Gajeel was answer enough, and with a sigh, he left the man alone. Deciding to visit the guildhall, Lily was quick to pick up his pace when the sounds of growls and items being thrown erupted from that room. He had to find some way to talk to them after doing some research.

And he knew just who to ask.

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Not too far away, anyone passing by would see Levy stumbling out of her apartment, a book propped open with her hands, fumbling to pull the already locked door shut behind her. It wasn't long before she was crossing the main street that split Magnolia in two, the canal being a part of the street, with high curving bridges allowing for people to cross the water safely.

In an odd, cluttered corner of her mind, Levy was trying to aim for the closest bridge to cross the water when a she ran toe first into the waist high wall that lined the canal. With a yelp she felt herself start to tilt dangerously, her arms flailing comically as she tried to catch her balance. Cringing as she felt herself start to flip towards the water, she slammed her eyes closed, bracing for the cold splash of falling into the canal.

It never came.

Instead she felt a pressure against her shoulders and stomach while slowly, carefully, being lifted into the air and eased back to her feet. Blinking she looked down to see three small totems that she recognized zoom away from her after a moment. Staring after them, she saw a familiar dressed figure turn a corner with a waved hand behind him and her heart fluttered in her chest, the ache, the yearning in her surging for that brief moment when she'd known his eyes were on her.

She knew then that he had seen what had almost happened and had helped her. Biting her lip, she closed her still open book and wrapped her arms around it, continuing at a slower pace in the direction of the guild.

Dammit it was bad enough she had dreamt of both of them, then she had to run into him? Why now?

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she continued on, too lost in thought to feel the crimson gaze that watched her from the shadows.

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After a far too long cold shower, Bixlow had had to force himself to get dressed and head towards the guild. Even trying to pull his mental shields up was proving to be very draining, and he wasn't entirely sure how well things would work today. Taking a deep breath, he strapped his visor on, and after a last minute check to make sure everything was set in the most comfortable manner, he activated his magic and soon had his babies floating around him.

They could sense that he wasn't in the best of moods, and were managing to keep themselves quiet, instead following behind him with none of their usual antics. Working on automatic, he didn't notice the citizens of Magnolia giving him a wide berth. He was easily recognized in his pinstriped hoody with the metal visor. Tall, he stood the same 6'3" as Laxus with wide shoulders holding up the skull head adorned pauldrons. The Raijinshuu were famous in Magnolia and across most of Fiore, and right now in his mission gear he was hard to miss as one of the Thunder Tribe. Probably the most feared because the least was known about him, he refused interviews and ducked out of the grand magic games, refusing to be considered even with Laxus pressuring him to.

He was too lost in his churning thoughts though to notice the stares, the smiles or fearful looks, or how far he had walked, when a sudden yelp drew his attention. Whipping his head around he saw Levy flailing as she teetered on the edge of the canal wall. A still open book in her windmilling hands gave him the answer he needed and without further thought, three of his babies shot forward to catch her just as she was about to actually fall into the water.

He waited another moment, making sure she had made it back to her feet, and as soon as he saw her gaze land on him, he turned away with a casual wave, continuing on his way, ignoring the yearning ache that hit him in the gut the moment he had felt her gaze on him. Gritting his teeth at the ache, he gave his head a quick shake, not feeling the crimson gaze on him from across the street in the shadows.

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Right before Lily had left, Gajeel felt his control snap, and before long his home gym was in shambles, his throat and lungs burning, furniture shattered. Panting harshly, eyeing the destruction that had once been one of his favorite rooms, he stormed out, another snarl rumbling at the back of his throat.

Without conscious thought, he merged into the shadows cast by his house and made his way into the city.

He was running on instinct, following the scents that even from his home by the forest, he could smell.

It wasn't long before he found himself near the canal, still hidden within the shadows, watching as his small prey walked distractedly along, her nose buried in a book as usual. He could see what was about to happen. Even as she started adjusting her path for the near by bridge, her distraction had her path off by about ten feet and sure enough, she ran into the canal wall. He had to bite back a chuckle as she fought to catch her balance. He knew, he just knew he should hurry out to catch her, but the thought of her being soaking wet had his inner dragon growling and straining at his control in delight.

Just as he was sure that she was going to fall in, he saw three small brown blurs appear from around a corner and catch her, saving her from getting a thorough soaking. Instinct had him starting to bare his fangs and growl...only to stop suddenly at the smell off the guild seith mage across the street watching Levy closely. The seith mage was the only male who could look at his shrimp and never be warned to back off.

Gods both of them in the same place, Bickslow tall and proud in his garish get up of layered gear that he always wore on missions. He smelled them both, Levy wafting up the faint bit of fear ink and flowers, Bickslow that exotic earthy spice so unique to him. Gajeel drew it all in hungrily, feeling his chest just ache, the yearning so intense it was painful and he curled a lip back from a fang.

Gulping hard against the increased inner thrashings of his dragon, Gajeel simply watched as Bixlows totems eased Levy to her feet before walking away with a wave of his hand. Gajeel continued to watch the other man for a moment before turning to watch the shrimp walk away slowly, her arms curved around her book. He could smell the confusion wafting off of her, and could only sigh. He knew exactly how she felt.

He stayed for a moment longer before stepping back further into the shadows, sinking into them as he raced back to the forest, hoping that some hunting would help calm him, more meat in the freezer was never a bad thing.

A short time later, Lily pushed through the doors to the guildhall and ran his gaze over the usual brawl taking place in the middle of the hall. Ducking the ball of flame and ice that suddenly flew towards him. Lily activated his wings to get above the crowd and get to the table with a certain green haired gentleman sitting with his team. Landing lightly on the table, he nodded in respect to the four mages that made up the Raijinshuu. His gaze rested on Bickslow for an extra moment before he turned to Freed. He couldn't help but give a familiar smirk, since he knew the request he had would throw them for a bit of a loop.

"Freed, I need your help doing an extensive search for information about Dragon Mating."


	3. Chapter 2

MBS Chapter 2 Denials, Fears, Insecurities

"Freed, I need your help doing an extensive search for information about Dragon Mating."

Those words coming from Lily had Bix freezing before he forcibly relaxed. Keeping his head still, he let his gaze run over the guild hall to see if Gajeel and Levy were there. There was no sign of Gajeel, but he found Levy up at the job board, looking tired with dark circles under her eyes. At the moment he was very glad that she lacked the increased hearing that the dragon slayers had because he just knew that if she had heard Lily mention that, she would've been at their table before he had a chance to relax.

"Of course Lily, I'll be more than happy to help with that. May I ask why though?" Freed asked honestly.

"I want to see if I can help Gajeel find some closure in possible mates. Living with him lately has been rather...well...trying to say the least."

"Has there been anything that's been bothering him lately?" Freed asked, tapping fingers against the table, his eyes losing focus as he started running through various possibilities.

"I'm not at liberty to say, however, if I remember correctly from previous occasions, I believe mating season is getting close, and each year it gets harder for him. I'm not sure how Natsu handles it, I'm not sure about Wendy, and as for Laxus and Cobra, well, I'm don't know if they experience it with being second gen slayers." Lily explained, holding his hands out in a shrug.

"We do actually. And every year it gets fucking worse. There's a reason we all usually disappear around that time, though Wendy hasn't quite reached that point yet since the squirts only gone through what…2 mating seasons as of last year." Laxus huffed, pointedly keeping his eyes on Lily, knowing that if he let his eyes shift to Bickslow in the slightest, he would be questioned, thoroughly, by the soul mage.

The tension radiating from Bickslow was obvious to everyone, and while they wanted to ask what was wrong, their focus was on Lily for the moment. Laxus made note of it though, Bix was his best friend, he wasn't going to let this slide by, something was up with him lately more than ever and he was done with the mans evasions and excuses.

"Is there any particular part of a dragons mating that you want to focus on?" Freed asked, reaching into a pocket for the notebook he kept with him at all times for jotting down research subjects.

"Well...if I understand things correctly, after the spell we were under on Tenrou, and then everything that has happened since then, and Tartaros six months behind us, a great many seasons have passed for the slayers. From the little bit of information I've been able to get out of Gajeel, the longer slayers go without their mates, the harder it becomes, and starts affecting their mental and emotional state. So I guess what I'm really trying to find out is if it's possible for dragons to know who their mates are, and how they handle things. If there is any way that I can help ease the struggle, I'd like to." Lily explained, lifting a paw to tap his chin as he answered, his mind obviously going over different scenarios.

Without looking, Lily could feel Bixs gaze boring into him. Not once, however, did he give any indication that he knew he was being so closely watched. He noted it though, and smiled inwardly.

"I'll be more than happy to help you with this. Maybe with the right approach we can help each slayer find their mate, easing their struggles. With the type of power they harness, if having a mate helps that in anyway, it would be our duty as nakama to help them. I have quite a few books at my place on dragons, the slayers, and their characteristics. Maybe we can find that information there?"

"That sounds like a great idea. I think I'll actually join you, Freed, Lily. Mating season is coming up fast, and every year it does get more difficult." Laxus stated. "Why don't we have dinner at your place Freed, and you can join us there Lily."

"That would be fine Laxus. Let's meet at my place at 5, and we can order in. That'll give me time to start compiling notes and see if there's anything that can be done. Is there anything in particular you'd care for Lily?" Freed asked, ever the thoughtful host.

"I'm open to anything as long as kiwis are included." He answered with a smirk.

"Of course, I'll take my leave now to get started and see you both in a few hours."

"Mind if I join this research guys?" Evergreen asked, speaking up for the first time since the conversation started. "This sounds like something that would benefit from multiple pairs of eyes."

"We certainly won't turn down the help. What about you Bickslow?" Freed asked, turning his attention to the man sitting across from him.

"No." Keeping his denial short and to the point, not caring that it wasn't like him at all, Bix abruptly stood and quickly left the hall, ignoring the stares he was getting, and refusing to acknowledge the iron dragon slayer who was arriving just as he left.

Watching Bix leave with wide eyes, Freed couldn't find anything to say to even try and call him back. Seeing Gajeel entering the hall pause, he noticed something that only one other person noticed. The deep bracing breath he took, and slight shake to his hands before he balled them into fists drew Laxus's narrowed eyes, and Freeds curiosity. There was definitely something happening amongst their guild mates.

Laxus was just too sharp, too keen an observer to miss it too. Something was up with Bickslow, now he knew it for sure and he resolved silently to corner his friend and find out what the fuck it was. Gajeels behavior too…the way he stilled, tensed, when Bickslow breezed past him, his cloak brushing over the Iron Slayers leg as he passed him swiftly swirling the air so Gajeels heavy mane of black hair was pushed around.

The way the red eyes widened and those pupils constricted, the shudder, the deep breath, all of it, Laxus took it all in and turned his gaze and passive expression to Freed just an instant before Gajeels ruby eyes glared his way. Something…it was big enough to make Bickslow act odd, send the Iron Slayer into a tense mass of…fuck he wasn't even sure what he was scenting exactly, it was overstimulated that was for fucking sure.

"Add in finding the possibility of a dragon slayer having more than one mate to that list Freed." He said quietly, noting Gajeels boot steps falter as he passed and smirking, Fuck…oh if he was right….

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He had to get out of there. The request Lily had made already hit so very close to home, but to

then be asked to look into something that was sure to break his heart, no, his soul, he couldn't do it. He'd already seen who his soulmates were reaching out to, and it wasn't him.

Taking in deep, shaky breaths, he made his way quickly through the streets of Magnolia, reaching what many would consider the club and bar district. He knew what he needed right now to take his mind of this soul deep pain. It wouldn't be permanent, but it would help for now. It wasn't long before he was quietly slipping in the front door of a plain looking building with a worn down sign with a large X on it. Immediately he was plunged into dim lighting.

Not far from the door was a simple front desk, similar to what could be found in a hotel or inn.

Without a word, Bix passed a handful of jewel notes to the attendant before filling out the guest book that was pushed towards him. He was given a small lacrima lock that was quick to be set to his thumb print, allowing for only him to be access the locker that was one of many in the room he stepped into. He had been here so many times now that he was considered a regular, and after finding a free locker he was quick to strip down to his boxers, storing his gear in the locker he had chosen.

From there he took a couple of deep breathes and moved through the door at the other end of what was considered the locker room. Immediately he lowered his head and his eyes, moving through the many bodies that were spread around. Gasps of pleasure, muffled screams, and moans echoed in his ears, speeding up his heart, and already causing his boxers to become tighter. Taking another deep breath, letting the atmosphere soak into his senses, bringing him to the head space he needed, he kneeled down onto the pillows along the edge of the main floor, immediately placing his hands palm up on his thighs and lowering his head, keeping his eyes trained on the floor before him.

The low pulsing music that played in the quietly in the background covered a variety of genres, and he could feel his blood beginning to pulse with the beat. It wasn't too much longer before two pairs of feet appeared in his line of sight. One pair was smaller, and the toes were tipped in a vivid purple, and strapped into thin three inch high heels, while the other pair was much larger, bare and quite obviously male. Gulping, Bix made sure to keep his eyes and head down until given permission to do otherwise.

The leather riding crop that came up to press under his chin had him lifting his head but still keeping his eyes lowered.

"Alone?" A low woman's voice asked, followed by fingers that he could tell were tipped in razor sharp claws trailed over his face, and he had to fight the shiver that raced over his skin. He had heard the question though and knew he needed to answer.

"Yes."

"Looking for what?" The woman asked again, trailing her fingers over his face and into his hair, following the hair to the nape of his neck where she clenched her fist in it, drawing his head back sharply. Bix was unable to quite keep the hiss from escaping him as a wave of pain and pleasure flashed through him at suddenly having his head yanked back.

"Escape." Bix managed to answer in a monotone voice. Even with his head now being held back, he kept his eyes as lowered as possible. The delighted purr that came from the woman holding him had him gulping slightly. There was something about that purr that didn't quite sit right with him, but he needed this, and quickly shoved the alarm going off in his head back to keep him here in this moment.

"Excellent. You'll join my pet and I tonight then, and perhaps, if I'm satisfied with your behavior, we may have a repeat. You will refer to me as Madame, do you understand?" The woman stated, leaning down to sink her teeth into his neck painfully. A grunt of pleasured pain escaped him, and he had to fight to keep still as he had not yet been permission to move. Taking another deep breath, he made sure to answer in a timely manner.

"Yes Madame."

"Good boy. Now, what is your name? And I want to see those eyes of yours when you tell me."

The woman stated, straightening from her spot, licking her tongue over her lips, already getting a heady thrill from the sight of the small drop of blood that was now trailing down Bix's neck. She liked him, tall, muscular, young, with smooth tan skin thick silky blue and black hair that felt good passing through her fingers, He tasted good, smelled good and she didn't miss the tattoos that graced his delectable body either, Feeling the drop of blood flowing down his neck, he could feel himself really starting to reach the head space he needed, and this part of him, the part of him that he didn't let out often to play, thrilled at the aroused gasp his glowing red eyes received when he lifted his gaze to hers, following his orders as directed. He knew once he did this, he would be bound for at least this night, and hopefully be able to reach the level of peace he needed for now.

"My name is Anam." He replied. She smirked, lunging in to slant her lips over his roughly and something tasted funny…off…but he couldn't place it and didn't care, his mind was drifting, his pain was losing ground to the thrill as she took what she wanted, dragging him to his feet, nails leaving stinging trails that beaded blood here and there.

She pulled back, watching his eyes return to the floor and smiling she slid a collar around his neck and tightened it until it bit in a little. "Come, pet, Madame is going to have some fun with you…" she purred nastily and drew a sharp breath, his vision hazy suddenly but he still didn't care, following her blindly.

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She needed a job. Somewhat desperately, she needed a job. Or multiple jobs. Anything really, at this point, to hopefully distract her from the dreams she was having. Some were confusing, heart wrenching, and often she woke crying. Others she had to throw herself from a nightmare, her dreams replaying the events of Tartaros, taunting her with what would have happened if things hadn't turned out the way they had.

And every once in a while, she had dreams of two guildmates that were so heated, so unexpected that she would wake up drenched in sweat, and her core was aching to the point of pain. Her own touch was doing nothing for her now. She'd even considered going to Cana, hell, even Laki for some sort of toy but was too unsure about the reaction she'd get to risk it.

Gritting her teeth, she perused the job board, tired eyes looking for anything that would allow her to immerse herself in her particular skills. Unfortunately she didn't see anything in the way of translating, and resigned herself to doing something local. She wanted to take a solo job, knowing that currently if she was to be around her team, she was likely to hurt them, even unintentionally. And she had just enough self-preservation left to make sure that she didn't do that to those who didn't deserve it.

Huffing a sigh of frustration, she turned away from the board and made her way to the bar, hopping onto a stool only to let her head fall to the bar top with a muffled groan.

"Everything ok Levy?" Mira asked, stepping up to lean against the bar on the other side, giving her a concerned smile.

"Depends on your definition." Levy answered, her voice slightly muffled.

"What's going on? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really. There's something I need to do myself, but I am so scared that I'm chasing a pipe dream that I don't even want to do it." She sighed.

"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain iron dragon slayer would it?" Mira asked, carefully keeping her eyes on the bluenette before her, seeing Gajeel enter the guildhall as he passed Bickslow who was on his way out.

"Of course it does. I feel drawn to him beyond belief, but he acts so...well...cool towards me, that I'm sure I must be imagining that pull." Levy stated, her head still laying on the bar, eyes closed, lost in her own form of misery. Dropping her voice a little further, trying to make it so only Mira could hear her, she continued. "Besides, I know he's so...well...virile, and carnal, and you know I'm a sub Mira, but I would think that would chase him away, that sort of thing wouldn't appeal to someone like him." Because of this she didn't see the crimson gaze that zeroed in on her, eyes sharpening in intensity.

Smirking slightly at the quickly moving iron dragon slayer that was closing the distance towards the bar, Mira reached out to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Honey, I'm sure you're not imaging it. Maybe you should try and talk to him about it?" Mira suggested, managing to keep the mirth out of her voice as Gajeel drew closer.

"How can I? You know some of the things I'm into, what would he think of me if he found that out? I mean, he's handsome, intimidating, tall, dark, but not everyone is into what I am. How would I even approach him about something like that? How would anyone approach anyone at all about that?!" Levy whimpered, lightly thumping her head against the wood of the bar, hoping that maybe it would knock some sense into her, maybe a touch of control, since her courage was certainly non-existent.

"What if he was into that sort of stuff though?" Mira asked again, knowing full well that Gajeel could hear her clearly, and knew that she was walking a fine line. She knew some things about Gajeel that Levy did not, but she had found that out by underhanded means, and had then been threatened to never say anything to anyone about what she had found out. Because she was in a similar position, she understood the caution. That didn't mean she wouldn't try and nudge them together though.

She was called the guilds demon matchmaker for a reason.

"If by some off chance he was, I'm sure he wouldn't want me, why would he? There's plenty of others who are more attractive, taller, better built, and even though I can only DREAM of being ravished

by him, he'd be too afraid to go all out on me I'm sure, because of how small I am, he'd be certain I'd break." Levy bit out, lifting her hands to glare at Mira, her own hazel eyes filled with pain boring into Mira's compassion filled gaze.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that..." Mira trailed off, stepping back as a shadow fell over Levy, causing her to freeze in place, the faint earthy smell of iron flowing over her. Levy could feel a cold sweat break out across her flesh even as she started trembling, the aura of intimidation coming from behind her causing her heart to speed up.

She could smell him. She could feel him. Like an electric current racing across her skin, she knew he was right behind her. She was always so aware of him that she couldn't understand how she hadn't been aware of him this time. Swallowing hard, she kept her gaze forward, clutching the edge of the bar top until her knuckles turned white. There was no way she could've been prepared for this...

"What's this I hear about you feeling a pull towards someone shrimp?" Gajeels voice was hushed, barely a breath of air against the skin of her ear and neck as he trapped her against the bar, his hands flanking hers while he bent down to whisper into her ear. "Do I need to go and do some hunting?"

He asked - no purred! She was certain that was a fucking purr! - against her skin, his lips barely brushing across her lobe, sending shivers down her spine.

"W-why would y-you do that?" Levy stammered, mentally groaning and slamming her head into the bar repeatedly.

"Well shrimp...I'ma thinking that either you and I need to talk about some things or I need to go kill something..."

Gajeel uttered, and before Levy could fully register what he had said, she felt his arms wrap around her and pull her into his shadows, racing back out of the guild.

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After managing to find and hunt down some full grown deer, Gajeel had been quick on his hunt earlier, and it had helped him, eased some of the tension, frustration and aching he had been struggling with.

He was a predator, and took to it maybe more than some of the other slayers did, he'd never seen Natsu hunt anything but fish and Laxus he had never really smelled animal blood on, so he doubted he took to it either. Gajeel though happened to enjoy it, found it appeased some of his darker needs as a Dragon Slayer and both he and Lily enjoyed the meat.

He had made the kills quick and painless for the animals before dragging them home and storing them in a cooler shed that he had had added behind his cabin specifically for times like this. He had set it up so he could prepare the meat for future use appropriately. Once he had dropped the carcasses off at his place and cleaned up a bit, he headed for the guild, unable to fight the pull any longer.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the shadows of his home and melded with them. He usually enjoyed his walks to the guild, but today he just felt the need to get there as quickly as possible and his shadows were the best way to do that without running into anyone or being distracted. A short time later he stepped out of the shadows that were attached to the guild hall, and moved up the steps to open the doors when they were flung open before could touch them. He quickly took a step back to keep from being hit when the scent of Bix hit him like a punch to the stomach. Gritting his teeth and stopping the growl that wanted to escape him with a force of will, and balling his hands, he waited for the soul mage to pass him before he continued into the guild, letting his gaze run over the crowd quickly.

He saw Lily at the Raijinshuus table which was a bit odd, but not too much since he knew Lily was a friendly exceed in general anyway. Shifting his gaze again, he found the flash of blue through all of the people at the bar, and saw that Levy was at there with her head down on the wood. It didn't take him long to sort through all of the sounds and voices in the guild to pinpoint the conversation she was having with Mira.

"Everything ok Levy?" Mira asked, stepping up to lean against the bar on the other side. Gajeel heard Laxus then to his side mentioning looking into Dragon Slayers being able to have more than one mate and almost tripped on his own fucking feet. Gritting his teeth he slowed his strides and tamped down his nearly out of control inner dragon for the second time that day. Why would they be studying that? He turned his gaze sweeping it over Lily, that answered that, Lily had to have something to do with what was being planned there but his gaze returned to Levy.

"Depends on your definition." Levy answered, her voice slightly muffled.

"What's going on? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really. There's something I need to do myself, but I am so scared that I'm chasing a pipe dream that I don't even want to do it."

Gajeel softened his footfalls, keeping his pace slow and listening, what was she struggling with? He'd noticed she'd been tired lately, seemed to not be sleeping well. He'd even hovered near her room in Fairy Hills a time or more…ok…more, fuck it who was he kidding? He'd seen her tossing and turning in her bed at night.

"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain iron dragon slayer would it?" Mira asked. He saw her eyes shift to him quickly before focusing back on Levy. He narrowed his on her menacingly, she had better keep her damn demonic trap shut because he knew where she kept her dirty laundry.

"Of course it does. I feel drawn to him beyond belief, but he acts so...well...cool towards me, that I'm sure I must be imagining that pull." Levy stated, her head still laying on the bar. Mira nodded toward Levy, smiling at him faintly and he bared his teeth at her in warning, He was about over the fucking moon about what he was hearing but the meddling demon needed to mind her own business, Freed was nearby and he knew how Mira played with that toy.

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Levy continued, still oblivious about his presence. "Besides, I know he's so...well...virile, and carnal, and you know I'm a sub Mira, but I would think that would chase him away." Levy answered, sounding oddly defeated.

Hearing these words, Gajeel started making his way through the people gathered, somehow managing to stop the start of a brawl or two on his way.

"Honey, I'm sure you're not imagining it. Maybe you should try and talk to him about it?" Mira suggested. Damn the woman, she was pushing too hard! He'd wrap her fucking riding crop around her throat and tie it up with her fucking tail.

"How can I? You know some of the things I'm into, what would he think of me if he found that out? I mean, he's handsome, intimidating, tall, dark, but not everyone is into what I am. How would I even approach him about something like that? How would anyone approach anybody about that?!" He heard Levy whimper, followed by soft thuds, and since he could see her head moving, he figured she was lightly thumping it against the bar top.

"What if he was into that sort of stuff though?" Mira asked again. Gajeel had to bite back a growl to keep focused, praying that she would not spill what he was here in the guild. He really would just rat her ass right out if she did too, crops and whips and succubus alter ego included.

"If by some off chance he was, I'm sure he wouldn't want me, why would he? There's plenty of others who are more attractive, taller, better built, and even though I can only DREAM of being ravished by him, he'd be too afraid to go all out on me I'm sure, because of how small I am, he'd be certain I'd break." Levy bit out, and he couldn't help the zing of heat that flowed through him at the sass he heard in her voice, his grin spreading as he processed what she had said.

So she wanted to be ravished by him AND she was a sub? He might just have to adjust his thoughts about approaching her a bit then. Go about this a different way than he'd thought he'd have to. He would kiss the fucker of a Dragon Soul he had for this, he really would if he could. He'd known she was perfect, too perfect for him, or so he'd thought, but this…flawless, the one big thing holding him back was now just…not a problem.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that..." Mira trailed off, stepping back as she saw him come to a stop right behind the blue haired shrimp. He knew from what he had heard that she was currently hyper aware of him, and with him caging her between his arms against the bar, he let his dominating persona flare against her, watching in delight as a shiver ran over her skin.

"What's this I hear about you feeling a pull towards someone shrimp?" He asked, leaning down to breathe her scent in. "Do I need to go and do some hunting?" He continued in a purr, just knowing that it was sure to drive her nuts with all of the sensations he was causing her.

"W-why would y-you do that?" Levy stammered, her breath speeding up some, crooking a tempting finger at his dragon. Oh she couldn't get more perfect for him, she just had no idea…

"Well shrimp...I'ma thinking that either you and I need to talk about some things or I need to go kill something..." Gajeel uttered, and before she could say anything different, they had left their guild in a swirl of shadows.


	4. Chapter 3

MBS Chapter 3 Secrets and Confessions

She was in a daze still. In less than a day, after weeks of confusion, things had changed. Far more than she had ever expected them too. Now she was sitting at the bar in the guild, lost in thought as she fiddled with the food on her plate, not even feeling the burning gaze that was staring at her from a dark corner of the guild. After a few more minutes of pushing the food around on its plate, she shoved the meal away before leaving the guild, still lost in thought.

She didn't even realize Bix was stumbling back into the guild until she walked right into him and nearly fell, barely being caught by his large hands. Feeling a familiar zing rush through her, she looked up to see the guilds soul mage looking down at her with a strained and slightly pinched smile.

"Careful now bookworm, wouldn't want you hurting that brain of yours." He chided quietly before setting her to the side and heading for the stairs leading to the second floor.

He wasn't in his usual work clothes today, faded jeans and a skin tight athletic shirt stretched across his broad chest, the logo on the mock turtle neck, breast and sleeves for a high end designer label for serious exercise gear, the kind she had certainly never invested in. Watching him jog up those stairs sent heat through every inch of her. Gulping hard, she just watched as he disappeared up the stairs, uncertain as to how to take what she was feeling, especially after what Gajeel had told her earlier.

How was she supposed to handle any of this? Shaking her head in disbelief at her own thoughts she continued on her way, heading back to Fairy Hills for hopefully some thinking time. She had to trust Gajeel. The whole thing that had happened when he'd taken her from the guild the other day had replayed in her mind over and over, she clung to it now.

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Gajeel had whisked Levy to a dark unlit spot by Fairy Hills, setting her suddenly on her feet and letting his shadows dissipate as he stood over her. It was hard for her to breathe, he was so close, all she could smell was him, she could feel the heat coming off of his body he was so near, she almost whimpered when his hands fell from her arms.

"Look at me Shrimp, now." He snapped but his tone was soft, it still jolted her and she looked up at him wide eyed, how much had he heard? What did he know? Of sweet Mavis he was a Dragon Slayer, he could have heard her low voice from across the guild, why hadn't she looked?!

She was desperate that was why, the dreams haunted her, the feelings were getting to her. She didn't know what was happening but she felt like she was coming apart.

"A sub huh?" Gajeel prodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips, his expression was soft, no judgement, no ridicule, no disgust, the things she feared she'd see in him just…weren't there.

She nodded, unable to find her voice.

He leaned closer to her, a hand sliding into her hair preventing her from stepping back. "Did it occur to you I might just be a little on the…dominant side?" His smirk sent her pulse racing and color flooding her face.

"I..I" She couldn't speak, the words wouldn't come and Gajeel stepped in, now holding her head with both of his hands, his breath mingling with hers.

"I am Levy." He said and she shivered as she felt his lips brush hers when he spoke, not quit making full contact, just teasing her with feather like touches.

"Oh…oh Gods…I…" She stammered. He'd used her name, he so rarely did, it just scattered her thoughts everywhere.

"Shh, calm down Shrimp, you…do not…disappoint me, you're not too short, too small…you're just right for me…understand?" His tone demanded an answer and she nodded starting to lower her eyes.

"I didn't say you could look down." He snapped and her eyes shot back to his. Gajeel almost purred, she was flawless, perfect.

"I didn't know you were into the same things as me, and I thought…after what happened when we first met…you'd be anything but interested, was I wrong?" He asked.

She was staring at him, lips parted, eyes filled with longing and amazement and he narrowed his. "Answer me."

"You were…" she replied.

He smirked again. "You want me to ravish you huh?"

Her eyes widened, lips moving but no sound came as she blushed almost purple as she nodded.

He drug his lips over her cheek, letting the piercings along his nose and chin scrape gently over her skin sending shudders through her and almost closing his eyes when she whimpered.

"I'll be what you want…Levy…everything…you need to wait, trust me and follow my orders if you want me though, are you willing?" He whispered into her ear and she nodded furiously.

He pulled back to meet her wide eyes again hovering and then tilted his head just a little, waiting to see her eyes dart for a moment to his lips.

"Kiss me then." He ordered and she lunged, crashing her lips into his and he could have fucking cried for joy over it. He pulled back and she whimpered again.

"Soon, I promise, now…no touching yourself…" he said and smiled when she gasped and looked mortified. "I can smell when you do no matter how many times you wash those perfect fingers, you wait, wait for me, I won't make you wait much longer and I want you to read, find Dragon Slayer mating information Shrimp…I want you to understand things and a book will tell you better than I can. Promise me you won't touch yourself, you let that tension build." He said firmly and she nodded.

"Say it." He snapped.

"I…I pro…promise Gajeel." She answered shakily. Holy Gods he'd let her kiss him, he was going to take her on…he…he was into the same things, spoke to her just..perfectly. So tall, so powerful…he was…almost…everything she'd ever dreamed of, Gods even what he'd done, that had planted the seed, it had to have, that the raven haired ruby eyed Dragon Slayer could be all she had ever wanted, but he'd hurt her so badly then.

"I wont ever break you Shrimp…what happened before…that wasn't who I am now…" He said. She smiled faintly.

"I know it…I really do…I…I'm very happy…with this." She managed.

He nodded and stood to his full height, stepping back and crossing his arms over his wide chest. Even in the dim light where they stood the definition of those thickly muscled arms showed and she swallowed hard. Dear sweet Gods…he was going to be hers…

"Now, be a good girl, get inside and get some fucking sleep, I promise I'll take care of you soon." He said and she smiled widely eyes suddenly radiant, and she turned and ran into Fairy Hills.

Gajeel watched her, smiling faintly then frowning, looking back toward the guild. He had to sort this out and fast now. He'd made a promise.

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Back at the guild things continued on as they usually did with the exception of a few. There was the constant dull roar of conversation that echoed off the walls, and the hustle and bustle of Mira, Kinana and Lisanna serving the members food and drink. There were a handful of people however, aware of the tension building between a few select guild mates. The Raijinshuu at their table watched with concerned eyes as Bickslow entered the guild and ran straight into Levy.

Some of the information they had found in their dragon mating research left them feeling like they were going in circles. Dragon slayers had a mate, yes, but they had not found anything indicating the possibility of two mates...so what the hell was going on?

While trying to keep Gray and Natsu from getting into yet another fight, Lucy was keeping an eye on Gajeel at his usual shadowed table, trying to think of some way to approach him about what was going on between him and Levy. Watching his reaction to Levy and Bickslow running into each other was just..confusing. When any man got near her he usually seemed to tense and get more pissed off looking than usual, but when Bickslow did, he just smiled, no anger, no tension, just a look that was wistful and maybe thoughtful.

And just when Lucy thought things couldn't get any more crazy, the guild doors were thrown open once more, the light from outside casting the newcomers in shadow, hiding their features. The resulting rumbling growl that could be heard coming from the shadowed corner had her jolting, even as she saw Natsu freeze in place before spinning around with his signature grin. Before she could latch herself onto him, he was launching himself at the newcomers, one fist already aflame. It took another moment for her to realize that one of the newcomers had launched themselves forward as well.

The sound of a solid slap on skin contact had her wincing, and as she blinked her eyes, and the doors were finally swinging shut, she was able to fully make out those who had come to visit.

Crime Sorciere, Sting Eucliffe, and Rogue Cheney.

He smelled them before the doors opened and had to fight every instinct he had to not launch himself at the unmated MALE dragon slayers that were approaching his home. He already struggled hard with having Laxus and Natsu around, but now three, another three slayers had shown up at his home, and he questioned whether he would be able to control himself.

Rather than chancing his control and confronting them, he stayed where he was, for now, his eyes narrowing with another snarl that rang through the guild hall, and watched as the idiot flame head launched himself at those standing in the door. Not surprising seeing as how one of the new comers reacted in kind. He could see many brace for what they were sure would be another full out brawl taking place, and instead everyone sweat dropped as the flame idiot and the self-centered dick bag exchanged manly hugs, complete with loud slaps of hands on shoulders or arms.

The fact that there were another three slayers there, even just visiting, let alone in the same city as his mates, had his inner dragon snarling in denial. They were his dammit, no one elses. He had to get them sorted out and this sure as fuck wasn't helping him.

Swallowing back the lurking growl, Gajeel finally stood and approached the visitors, his gaze narrowed and menacing as he stopped before the others. He knew as Cobra turned his eye towards him that he had already heard his dragon soul essentially warning him off. The raised hands he gave as he stepped back showed his acknowledgment. Shifting his gaze towards the shadow dragon slayer, Gajeel crossed his arms in a show of determination.

"What the fuck are you idiots doing here?" Gajeel demanded, his gaze running over all of them before settling back on Rogue.

"We need to speak to Master Markarov." Jellel answered, reaching up to pull the hood of his cloak back. Running fingers through his hair, he ran his gaze over the current occupants, torn between relief and sadness when he didn't see a scarlet head of hair among those at the guild. Hearing this, Gajeel turned his head to look at him with some concern.

"Everything alright?" He asked gruffly.

"Oh yes, everything's fine, just something that hopefully he can help us with." Jellal assured.

With that said he headed for the staircase leading to the upper floor where the masters and s-class wizards offices were. He had been here enough times over the last number of years with his small guild that he felt just as at home here as he did anywhere else in his travels. When the rest of Crime Sorciere, Sting and Rogue followed after them, Gajeel shook his head and retreated back to his watchful corner, careful not to let his gaze roam back to the seith mage too often. The man almost seemed to feel it when his gaze lingered more than a second or so.

Upstairs in the masters office a group of six individuals stood before Markarov with unreadable expressions on their faces.

"Well, I must say, this visit was unexpected. What can I do for all of you?" Markarov asked, hopping up to stand on the top of his desk, facing those before him head on. The silence that stretched on had him raising an eyebrow as the others exchanged look before Cobra stepped forward with a roll of his eye.

"Since no one else has the balls to start this shit, we want to join Fairy Tail." Cobra said bluntly, shoving his hands into his pockets, meeting Markarovs gaze directly. The fact that he had never been able to hear the mans soul was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing cause it was an area of quiet that Cobra never really got, and a curse because he could never hear anything Markarov would say or do.

"And what exactly brought this on?" He asked, shifting his gaze to Jellal for the answers.

"In our travels we've been hearing the stirrings of some...questionable things, dark guilds targeting each other, kidnapping mages out on jobs from light guilds, and further rumblings from other underground guilds. Plus, we were recently asked to meet with the king and the princess of Fiore. For all the things that we've done, they've pardoned us, and have further asked us to continue our work in the shadows, with the understanding that we need to join a registered guild." Jellal explained. Refusing to acknowledge the other reason beneath all of that that had swayed his decision to agree with the kings orders.

Huffing out in exasperation, Cobra followed that statement with a slight smirk. "Not to mention this now allows him to pursue a certain requip mage after having the sense knocked into him by fellow guild members."

Jellal flushed brightly, hunching his head down between his shoulders, cursing Cobra so fervently that Cobra busted out laughing, especially with the knowing smirks that were aimed at him from each and every one of the mages in the room.

"Well that answers one group, what about the two of you?" Markarov asked, turning to the two sabertooth slayers.

"Honestly, while being guild master for the sabers was fun, I miss the jobs and adventures that came with just being a mage. I've passed the guild onto Minerva after she worked to prove herself to actually care about the members, not just the power anymore." Sting shrugged, his face bland, looking impartial.

Before Cobra could open his mouth once more, causing more discomfort, Rogue spoke up. "And I'm with him because aside from a select few of your own members, I'm the only one who can reign him in at least slightly. Plus we're partners, we work well together, and having to get used to a new partner is a headache I'd rather avoid." Rogue said impassively. Out of them all, he was the only one to actually voice the full truth, and Cobra had to respect that.

Nodding his head at this, Markarov turned back to the group of Crime Sorciere. "What about the rest of your members?" He asked carefully.

"Sorano joined the Sabers to be with her sister, Richard went off to join Blue Pegasus, and Sawyer decided to join Lamia Scale. He's got a bit of a crush on one of the little mages." Meredy explained with a soft smile.

Nodding in understanding, Markarov looked over the six mages gathered before him with a wide smile. Meredy, the sensory mage, Macbeth the illusion mage, Jellal with his heavenly body magic, and then of course the three slayers. Cobra with his soul listening and poison Dragon slayer lacrima, Sting the light dragon slayer, and Rogue the shadow dragon slayer. All mages powerful in their own right, who had faced their struggles, and managed to rise above all off it.

Smiling at the new additions, Markarov quickly turned and yanked open the top right desk drawer, pulling out the guild stamp, turning back to lift it up. "Alright brats, who's first?" He asked with a grin, and when he got full blown grins from each of them, even Cobra, he knew he would do all he could to help them in their endeavors.

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"ALRIGHT BRATS LISTEN UP!' Markarov bellowed from his perch on top of the second floor banister, ignoring the winces and glares he received from the three slayers beside him as his bellow caused their ears to ring.

The brawl that had been taking place with a certain fire slayer and ice mage at the middle of it, halted immediately as everyone turned their heads to their master in unison. Markarov could be seen standing on the banister with three mages leaning against it in some way on either side of him.

"What is it Master?" A familiar voice asked as she left her plate of cake at the bar. It didn't even take what Cobra could hear from the tattooed pancakes soul to know Jellal was flushing brightly. Erza had apparently arrived at some point during their conversation, and at seeing Jellal, was doing everything to keep herself focused on the guild master rather than the man she loved.

"After much discussion, Crime Sorciere have decided to join us as members, and are now instead a team, and our fellow slayers from Sabertooth have decided to change guilds and are now a part of our family as well." Markarov announced with an indulgent smile. The resulting cheer that exploded from those on the first floor had dust drifting down from the rafters above, and the slayers attempting to protect their sensitive ears.

Cobra leaned towards Markarov, using the noise as cover to whisper something into his ear, receiving a nod in response. Lifting his hands to gain the guilds attention, silence settled once more as they waited for whatever else was needed to be said.

"Laxus, Natsu, and Wendy, I need the three of you to join me in my office. The rest of you, I fully expect you to welcome our new members in true Fairy Tail fashion. Let's party!" Markarov announced with a shout. The responding cheer was just as loud as the first and drinks started flowing more freely, and music was quickly turned up. As the rest of the mages with Markarov made their way to the lower floor, Cobra grabbed the shoulders of Sting and Rogue, keeping them in place with a quick shake of his head at their questioning looks.

Leading them back into his office, Laxus, Natsu, and Wendy were quick to join them, and the moment the office door swung shut, Markarov snapped his fingers, activating the runes Freed and Levy had set that would allow no sound or smell to escape the room. Settling into the furniture around the room, the slayers looked at Markarov expectantly.

"What's up jiji?" Laxus asked, stretching an arm out along the back of the couch he sprawled on with Wendy and Rogue.

"Cobra actually has something he felt he needed to share with you, so this meeting was actually called by him." Markarov announced, waving a hand towards the man who was leaning against the wall next to the office door. When he saw each of the slayers turn towards him and found absolutely no

hostility towards him coming from their souls, he found himself oddly uncomfortable. Pushing away from the wall, he started to pace back and forth in the small space where he could, gathering his thoughts, and actually trying to consider how to word some of the things he had discovered over the last number of months. Especially the thing he had heard when he had first walked into the guild and nearly had an iron dragon slayer tearing his throat out, just for being there.

Stopping, he turned back to the others and met each of the gazes, before speaking. "Each of us in here need to tread carefully around Gajeel for the forseeable future." He warned, crossing his arms and once more leaning back against the wall.

"Um...why would we need to do that? I had actually been hoping to get some additional training in with him." Rogue spoke up, watching Cobra closely.

"I wouldn't suggest it right now. His dragon is being very demanding, and it's taking every thread of control he has to keep from attacking Laxus and Natsu. Wendy isn't as much of a threat, yet, because of her age. Add in three new slayers to what he considers his home turf, and his control is becoming thread bare." Cobra explained.

"He...oh my Mavis...He found his mate didn't he? And his mate is in the guild?" Wendy asked, an ecstatic grin lifting her lips, even as her hands covered her mouth to keep the squeal she wanted to let loose at bay. When she got an indulgent smile in return, she couldn't help but shrug in return. She had a feeling that he could hear her internal squealing. At his nod, she chuckled, knowing that she had guessed it right.

"Yes to both of those questions, and so, because of that, his dragon is seeing us unmated slayers as additional threats." Cobra answered.

"It's Levy isn't it?!" Natsu demanded, leaning forward with an infectious grin. Cobra kept his face blank as he turned from Natsu, hearing that Laxus knew far more than he was letting on.

"That would be partially right." Cobra stated.

"Wait, what do you mean 'partially'?" Sting asked, his brows drawing together in confusion.

"Apparently we have a rare fucked up situation on our hands. Our very own Iron Dragon Slayer has two mates. The little blue headed bookworm, and the guild jokester."

The silence that fell was so sudden, that if Cobra hadn't known that it was still daylight outside, he would've sworn he could hear crickets chirping from outside.

"WHAT?!" Natsu roared, jumping to his feet, hands exploding into flames. Rogue gaped and started stammering while Sting started grinning lecherously.

"Damn, the best of both worlds I'd say." Sting smirked crossing his arms as he leaned back in the chair he had commandeered. Reaching out with a lightening coated fist, Laxus was quick to sucker punch Natsu in the back of his head, knocking him out cold, causing his flames to flicker out.

"And this is why we have to be careful." Cobra stated firmly. "If any one of us try to approach Bickslow or Levy by ourselves, and Gajeel finds out about it, we may end up in the infirmary because his dragon will be pushing him to protect those he knows are his. Or in his case, those who are his mates."

"I'm sure I could take him on." Sting said confidently, smug confidence coming off of him in waves.

"Sure, you go ahead and try approaching either of those without someone with you, let alone approach them with anything other than just friendly intentions, and I have no issue with watching him wipe the floor with you as his dragon takes over. Hell, I'll laugh and eat popcorn while it happens." Laxus huffed, settling back in his spot on the couch.

"You don't seem too surprised by this Laxus." Rogue stated quietly.

"That would be because Bickslow in a way already knows."

"What does that mean?" Markarov finally asked, speaking up for the first time since the conversation had started. He watched in a bit of worry as his grandson pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Not too long ago, I was over at Bix's house, I showed up while he was still sleeping, and found him talking in his sleep. He mentioned both Gajeel and Levy in his sleep. When I woke him up, I tried to give him shit about it, and rather than laughing it off like he usually would, he went paper white. I managed to get what was going on out of him. I don't think he knows that Gajeel has identified him as one of his mates. But Bix does know that Gajeel and Levy are his soul mates. Apparently seith mages have a soul mate, similar to that of a dragon slayer mate. Even more rare is when a seith mage has two soul mates. The last one with two soul mates was documented hundreds of years ago."

"So you've known about this?" Wendy asked.

"Not that Gajeel identifies him as one of his mates, that one was a surprise, but at the same time it makes sense considering Gajeel is Bickslows soulmate. I only even know that much because Bix told me." Laxus answered with a shrug.

"Alright, in regards to this new information coming to light, I'm warning each of you to be cautious around Levy and Bickslow. Never be around either of them by yourself. If you end up in a situation that causes that to happen, do everything to fix that as quickly as possible. Help each other with that as needed. If any of you disregard this, and you are harmed in the process, I'm holding you personally responsible. You are all dismissed." Markarov ordered with a wave of his hand.

After the slayers left in a single file, closing the door behind them, he let out a tired sigh, letting his head fall to the desk before him. When a flash of light and burst of pure power announced the arrival of a newcomer, he lifted his head to look at the new arrival with a grin.

"Hello old friend, what brings you here today?" Markarov greeted.

"We need to talk Maky, and you might want a drink for this."


	5. Chapter 4

MBS Chapter 4 Decisions and Consequences

She didn't know what to do.

When she had been stolen away into the shadows by Gajeel, a part of her had been nervous and scared, while another part of her had been thrilled at the sensation of being wrapped up in his arms. He'd settled her, confessed his own interests mirrored hers and promised to talk more with her. They had, the following afternoon. He had taken them out of the city, up into the hills, not stopping until they were at the top of one where a popular park for couples was located. There were trees a plenty there, with a pond, and a scattering of benches.

Thankfully her scholars mind had taken over at the time, asking endless questions, losing track of time.

Ultimately they had ended up talking for HOURS. There was so much more to him than she had thought she had learned from watching him over the past number of years. Dusk had been quick to arrive, and still they talked, even as the stars had come to life, shining so brightly in the sky with the lack of light from the city competing for brightness.

Now she found herself back on the same bench. When she had left the guild earlier, she hadn't been thinking of anything except that conversation and had started walking. She had some things to seriously consider and as she looked out over the city bustling in the small valley before her, she felt herself drift back to that conversation from a week before.

When they had stopped at the park at the top off the hill, Gajeel pulling her out carefully and perching her on the bench, she had needed to take a moment to catch her breath as he settled down next to her. Moments passed, both of them looking out at the place they called home silently, enjoy the quiet for the moment.

"Gajeel...why did you bring me all of the way out here?" Levy asked softly, the suddenness of her speaking causing him to jolt a bit in surprise as he turned towards her. The uneasiness that crossed his face, quickly followed by fear had her increasingly worried. The fact that he was able to then force his face into a blank mask had her swallowing against a ball of her own fear lodged in her throat.

It took a moment for him to answer, and when he did, his voice was rough with emotion. "I overheard what you said to the demon Levy, the whole conversation." He stated quietly. He didn't need to see her to know that her face had drained of all color. The muffled squeak he heard from her as she clapped her hands over her mouth had him smirking slightly.

"Ohmygod you d-did, the whole…thing?!"

"Of course I did shrimp, slayer hearing remember?"

"Well yea, but I didn't realize you were there!"

"It worked out, and I've made a promise I'll keep but I need to know something."

The sudden rapid thumping of feeling her fists against his shoulder had him bursting into belly laughs as he turned toward her with a smile. This is what he had been trying to do, get her to relax a bit. Apparently picking on her a bit helped. Staring down at her with a soft smile, he couldn't help but love the look of her red face as it scrunched up. He could even swear that he saw steam coming out of her ears.

" I need you to be completely honest with me on this, how long have you felt a pull towards me?" Gajeel asked, turning to look back out over the view, letting the feel of the place wash over him, and calm his racing heart. He could hear her heart start to race, and her breath start to increase.

"I-I-I-"

"Levy, please, I need to know. Your answer will determine what I say next." The serious tone of his voice had her pausing to stare at him, her heart beat slowing as she saw the intense look on his face.

Facing the view as well, watching as the sun dropped closer to the horizon, painting the sky in red, orange, and pink. Taking a deep breath, she reached inside herself for the core of strength that had slowly been forming since she had met him. She knew it was because of him that she had even the seed of strength she had now.

"I've felt it since the beginning." She answered softly.

"You mean-"

"Yep." She interrupted with a slight pop of the p.

"Why-"

"Didn't I say anything before? At first I fought against it. After all, how could I feel remotely drawn to the person who had done that to me and my team, my closest friends? But I couldn't stop it from happening, no matter how hard I tried. Then things started to change, you started to change. You protected me. You became my partner at Tenrou. You were there when I doubted myself, and promised to help me become strong. I began to see you for the man you really are. " Levy paused, taking another deep breath before continuing.

"The loyal, strong, passionate, man who had been dealt a crap hand in the beginning, but took a chance, changed the cards and now you've been dealt a winning hand at life as long as you're willing to work with it. At first it just the slightest pull, even with that mad, crazed look in your eyes when we first met, I felt it. There was just something that told me that I knew you somehow, someway, that you would have some kind of significance in my life. That feeling has only grown since then. And now? Now I can't imagine a day without you in my life. Just the thought of it makes my soul hurt. And I'm not sure I'd be able to survive it if one day I turned around, and you weren't there. I'm not afraid of the shadows anymore Gajeel, because I know you're there to chase away the real monsters."

By the time she finished her explanation, the sun had fully set, letting the pink of the sunset bleed into the midnight blue night. She continued to take deep breaths, leaning her head back to stare at the stars flickering to life. She was afraid. Afraid of the rejection she was certain she would see in his gaze. She had fallen for him, hard, she had known that for a while, but she had also known that he would never want her like that. She wasn't what he needed, someone who was strong en-

"Levy!" Gajeels voice, growling from in front of her brought her out of her thoughts and her gaze down to meet his. She could feel his hands gripping hers firmly even as he ran his thumbs across her knuckles gently. Once he saw that she was no longer lost in her head, and was focused on him, he smiled carefully.

"Are you that scared of me shrimp?" He asked, a worried tone thickening his voice as he dropped his gaze. Feeling her fingers squeeze his own, he lifted his gaze once more.

"Oh no, far from it Black Steel. Not of you at least." She answered, letting her gaze fall.

"What do you mean shorty?"

Letting a heavy sigh escape her, she couldn't help but hunch her shoulders as she clenched her eyes shut.

"I'm afraid of myself Gajeel. I know I'm not the strongest, and that what we have…well, I know you know what I…like…you understand but I'm so small…and I just want you to know I understand if you can't…you know…do much with me even if we're never really much more than friends, I'll be hap- ompf!" Just as she opened her mouth to continue, finding herself in a downward spiral of random babbling, she found herself pressed against the back of the bench with Gajeel pressed against her front, and his mouth pressed tightly to hers, moving insistently, his teeth nipping at her lower lip, begging for entrance.

The sensation of him kissing her so hungrily had her gasping in shock, her mouth falling open, and his tongue dived in to tease hers into a dance, his hands lifting to burrow into her hair, even as she gripped his shirt tightly. Moments passed as he kissed her thoroughly, doing everything he could to express how much he really wanted her. Finally he drew back, both of them panting for breath, cheeks flushing as he rested his forehead against hers in an affectionate manner. Pulling back further, he shifted to his knees on the ground, trying hard not to think about the fact that her legs were spread to accommodate him comfortably.

"Wh-what the hell was that?" Levy asked on a gasp, still gripping his shirt tightly as he shifted.

"That, shrimp, was me telling you in a very pleasing way to shut up. Remember how I told you that what your answer was would determine what I say next?"

"Um...yes?"

"Shr-Levy, I will never, NEVER, I can't express this enough, want or need any other woman in the guild, or in the world." He said softly, fervently, cupping her face in one large hand to brush the pad of a thumb across her kiss swollen lips.

"Wh-what does that mean?" Levy asked, trying not to let her hope flare up only to be dashed.

"Levy, you are my mate. The one I can't live without, ever. Dragon slayers typically have a mate that they spend their lives with. You're it, you're mine. I've known this for a long time, but was afraid to say anything to you after everything that's happened. I felt that after what happened, I didn't deserve you. I was ready to watch and keep you safe from the shadows." Gajeel admitted, his shoulders slumping as the things in his past came back to haunt him. The pain of suddenly landing hard on his back had his thoughts clearing and he found his arms immediately winding around the small woman now laying on top of him. Opening his eyes, he blinked as he saw her lifting her head to meet his gaze with her own tear filled eyes. It was the obvious happiness he

could see radiating off of her that had him realizing these tears weren't sad.

"Levy?" He asked cautiously.

"Are you serious Gajeel?" Her whispered question echoed loudly in his ears and had him smiling even as he nodded.

"Like you, I've felt the pull from the beginning." Gajeel explained a bit sheepishly while shifting, lifting her back onto the bench as he settled onto his knees in front of her. "And like I said, I didn't think I deserved you, still don't, but when our dragon chooses our mate, we don't exactly get a say in it."

"Do you not want me then?" Levy asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Oh that couldn't be further from the truth shrimp. I want you so much, I can't breathe from it at times. While slayers may not have much say in who their mate is, our dragons do take into account our most basic needs and desires, and, believe it or not, whether the attraction is there or isn't. The attraction was never in question for me. I've wanted you since the first time I saw you walking down Main Street, before we actually met. But I made my decisions and now have to live with them. I can only hope that you've forgiven me and that we can go from here."

"Gajeel, I forgave you a long time ago. Now you need to forgive yourself. And yes, I'm aware that this is definitely much easier said than done. And that's ok. I'll help you through it."

"Fair enough. Now there is a couple of more things that we need to talk about." Gajeel stated, gently gripping her hips, and oddly comfortable kneeling on the ground before her. Somehow it felt right to him.

"And what would that be?" Honestly, she was certain she knew what it was, and had been hoping to avoid that. She watched as he took a deep breath, and in that one breath, even kneeling on the ground before her, he seemed to get bigger. More intimidating. More in control of things.

"Ga-Gajeel?" She whispered, swallowing hard.

"Still, but you need to get to know this side of me little one." He said with an oddly deeper chuckle. And it was an actual chuckle, not his signature 'gi-hi' that she thought was adorable.

"W-what?" She couldn't help but stammer and attempt to shrink away from him, but with his hands firm on her hips, she knew there would be no way for her to escape.

"We're one in the same, but not. Gajeel is who I let the the world see, the affectionate, loyal and calm side of me. this, on the other hand, this is who comes out only when needed. Those times when a dark mage needs to be killed, or a mercy kill is needed? That's me. And for this part of our..we'll call it our confessions conversation, I was needed to help explain some things. I am Kurogane. I'm sure you remember that name. The part of me who gave me my reputation as a merciless killer. Or at least everyone else saw me that way." He started, rubbing his thumbs in soothing circles, similar to the way you would calm a spooked animal.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." Levy gave herself a pat on the back at being able to keep her voice level.

"Oh my dear, don't sell yourself short, you're far too smart for that. Remember I overheard your conversation with the demon earlier, including the part about you being a sub. Now, the only term I know, that Mira knows as well as far as I'm aware, that sub means, sub is shortened for submissive. Is that what you are kitten?" He asked with a deep purr, his head angled down with his red eyes glowing up at her from the shadows cast by his hair and the night.

Hearing him call her kitten had a shiver racing over her and jump-starting her, the deep purr over that nickname causing her to gasp quietly, digging her teeth into her lip even as she tried to press her legs together, forgetting for a moment that he was between them and she couldn't do it. Gulping, trying hard not to stutter, she met his gaze somewhat defiantly, thrilling slightly at seeing him quirk an eyebrow at her.

"And what if I am? So what?"

"So what, kitten, is that you're my mate. So what kitten, is that you will be mine in every way, and you, as a submissive are looking for a dominant. Why not get the both of worlds? Kurogane is my dominant persona Kitten." He stated, the last part a growl as her arousal at his words, his voice, started to tease his senses, straining his control over things.

"I-I...I would have to think about it." Levy said quietly, feeling her face turn to flame, but refusing to break eye contact with him as Kurogane.

"Good, I would expect nothing less from someone with your brains. Alright there's one more thing we need to discuss before I get you home and you get some much needed rest to think things over." Kurogane stated in approval, pride clear in his voice.

"And what would that be?"

"I told you you're my mate and that typically dragon slayers have one mate for life."

"Yes, what about it?"

"Once every so many eons or whatever, an ancient, lost magic is found again. When this happens, instead of there being one mate, there is two, which means you'd be their mate as well, and we'll have to share. In all honesty, I have no problems with this." He could see her shell shocked expression, and with a gentle finger, closed the mouth that had fallen open.

"W-what does this mean for us?" Levy stuttered, her mind trying to catch up to all of the information she was being given.

"Don't think too hard on it kitten, once you know who the third mate is, everything will fall into place seamlessly. Or at least it should. And it would explain why the three of us have been having such intense and weird dreams. It happens when the bond starts to form, mates start to share dreams" Kurogane stated again, nuzzling into her hair.

"You know who it is?" Levy asked quietly, burying her face into the fine tunic he was wearing.

"Indeed, of course I do. I've felt the pull towards him just as much as I've felt it towards you. I just didn't know how you would take it, not everyone is open to the idea of sharing, and if you aren't then we'll figure out some way to make things work." He explained, slight hesitation in his voice, his arms still wrapped tightly around her.

"Why don't you tell me who it is first, then we'll go from there." Levy encouraged, leaning her head back to meet his gaze. Seeing him swallow hard, she felt her brow furrow in confusion.

"It's Bickslow."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

That had been a week ago, and now she found herself back at the same bench. The thoughts in her head had been rioting and doing everything they could to make her appetite less. She was too consumed by the thoughts of both of the men, and what that might mean for them.

Seeing a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head and found Bickslow on the other side of the small lake of the park, obviously he hadn't seen her. Chewing on her lip for a moment, she hopped off the bench and made her way to him. After being told what she and Bix were to Gajeel, there had been something nagging at her, she couldn't place it, but now, seeing him, it had clicked.

A few minutes later found her approaching him carefully, having seen him plop down at the edge of the lake and pluck a few blades of grass. He appeared to be lost in a great deal in thought, so she made sure to make plenty of noise so he wouldn't be surprised by her. Seeing a twig on the ground next to her foot, it didn't take much to shift her step and break it under her weight, the sound of it snapping drawing his attention as she sat down beside him.

She watched in rapt appreciation at the sight of his muscles flexing as he twisted his torso to see her. He really was just, gorgeous and she had this internal shiver of excitement, pure delight at the idea of him being part of it all. All of her dreams about him had been so heated, so intense, the dreams of the three of them together she wanted that, it scared her clean through, Bickslow was a tall good sized man and while not heavily muscled like Gajeel, he was still obviously strong, had his own mouthwatering six pack and tightly sculpted abs, she could see them right through that skin tight running shirt he was wearing.

"Oh hey little blue, what brings you up here today?" He asked with his signature tongue lolling grin.

"Just some things that I've needed to think about, and try to make some decisions on. When I saw you come up here I thought I'd ask for your help with some information I need before I can make a full decision. Want to be ready to handle what consequences may pop up right?"

"Makes sense. Sure, what can I help you with?" He asked, not realizing that Levy noticed his hands clenching in his lap.

"I've been doing a lot of research lately on a number of things and I'm hoping you'll be able to verify something for me. Bix, can a seith mage have two soulmates?"


	6. Chapter 5

MBS Chapter 5 Trusting the Dreams

He dreamt.

As always, he dreamt. And when he did, he dreamt of them. And tonight all he could do was smile. Soft blue hydrangeas, bright orange lilies, and vivid black roses. Passionate reds, vibrant blues, glistening silver. All colors that were swaying together. The entire dream had a bit of a haze but he knew what to look for. He knew he'd see them there.

Always.

He'd seen them fight over the years, even in his dreams, and as time passed he remembered more of the ways that his power had tried to give him hints as to who to look out for. But never had he fully paid attention. But now, knowing he was just a spectator in his own dream, he couldn't help but watch with a smile. The feelings in this dream were so intense, he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to stop smiling.

'Can a seith mage have two soul mates?'

Feeling his smile drop, he quickly backed away from the dancing couples, lowering his gaze from the trio he had seen dancing. The trio that had had his heart pounding in hope.

Only to be wiped away by the shadows that had been lurking in the corners of his own mind.

'Can a seith mage have two soul mates?'

That question, that question that had been asked by one of the most intelligent people he knew, so simple, so innocently asked, had been enough to knock the air from him. He knew he had been a coward. And now, seeing his dream fade away, the trio he had been watching disappear so suddenly had him crying out in pain as he doubled over, clutching his chest.

'Bixlow, can a seith mage have two soul mates?'

The answer was yes, yes they could, but he knew he'd never have the ones that were his. They were already bound to each other. There was no room for a third. As always, he was alone.

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She was dreaming.

Back at the park at the top of the hill, she knew being there was just a dream. The park looked nearly exactly the same. Except the flowers.

Bushes of black roses, rivers of blue hydrangeas, and explosions of orange lilies were every where. She felt at peace here. Here where the perfume of the flowers hung thickly in the air, and birds could be heard in the surrounding trees, while ripples of the small lake could be heard breaking against the damp bank at the edge of the water.

What drew her eye the most though, were the two men standing at the edge of the water. Both tall, both confident, both passionate in their beliefs. One stood with his feet firmly placed, strong thick arms crossed over his chest even as he smirked, exchanging words with the man beside him, his small exceed

balancing on one shoulder. The other man stood leaning with an elbow on the other shoulder, his grin infectious even as small brown items danced around them both, a foot kicked up to hook around the other ankle.

She could see them both, yet at the same time, it felt like she was in a haze. She heard herself call out, watched as the men turned to welcome her with toothy grins and raised hands.

She never saw the shadows overwhelming her from behind. All she saw was her loved ones screams.

0-0-0-0-0-0

He was stuck. Again.

In his past, the past that was determined to haunt him, point out all of his failings. Point out and remind him of the horrors he had brought to others. He remembered the sickening joy he had gotten when he had first attacked her.

He remembered the pleasure he had felt when he had tortured her best friend. The desire to hear her scream had driven him on and on and on again. But still it was never enough.

He was hollow.

He'd been hollow for a long time.

And still there was one part of him that he had hoped would never completely give in to the darkness threatening to consume him. It had taken him a long time, but he never felt alone. No longer felt agony, or envy or fear that he would always be alone.

As he traveled through his dreams, his memories, he recalled the vile things he had done. The things that he could never be forgiven for. The things that even now, seeing them happen all over again, caused nausea worse then his motion sickness to roll through him.

But he had to keep going. He had to make it through this to reaffirm the changes he was making for the better.

And that was when he found them.

Right off of the side of the road, a black rose bush, a half sphere plant of a blue hydrangea, and tall, spearing bright orange lilies.

He remembered that day fondly. It had been a grey sight that day, probably Juvia's doing, but seeing the flowers growing so close together they had been wrapping around each other as one, he knew, he just somehow knew that this would be part of the step towards bringing their future together.

Following the memory, he watched as his old self pocket the flowers before attacking with a spell that he destroyed the group of plants with.

He knew in that moment, he would somehow be ok.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Discoveries, Acceptance, and Promises

It had been another month. He couldn't even fully remember when things had started to change, but it had been a month now since Levy had asked him if multiple soulmates were possible for him. Not a day went by that his soul mates weren't on his mind. Not a night went by that he didn't dream of them any more.

Some dreams were dark, terror stricken, having him jerk from his sleep with a strangled scream. Some dreams were light, and fun, full of promise, hope and love. But those nights were growing few and far between as time went by.

The lack of proper sleep was starting to show, his physical and mental exhaustion weighing him down. It wasn't long before he started avoiding the guild all together, even refusing to go on missions with the rest of his team. He found himself trying desperately to sleep, keeping himself holed up in his home, going out periodically for food. There was one place that he started going to more in hopes to help ease his trouble. Unfortunately he wasn't sure if it was actually working.

He was there almost every night now, meeting up with the woman who had become his dom after a few more meetings to see if it would work. Now, things would alternate between him being on his knees, just watching or listening to her work over others at the club, and him being on the cross, put onto display for those visiting to see and do whatever to him that she wanted. He just wanted to feel like he belonged somewhere. This was one of those nights.

He had arrived around the same time as usual, his mind already focused on the hope of some type of escape by coming here. When he had arrived, and taken his usual place, waiting for his dom, kneeling on one of the pillows that lined the main floor, he didn't know what to expect. Shortly after arriving, he heard the familiar click of her heels, followed by the slow shuffle of her other pet. When he felt the familiar leather of her riding crop lifting his chin, it didn't take much for him to push every worry he had away, and just focus on the escape he could achieve here.

A few hours later had him looking out over the busy club, various couples and groups doing their own things, even as some passed by him, and after getting permission from his dom off to the side pleasuring her pet, did a few things to him that normally he wouldn't do. But right now, anything, anything was better than the soul deep pain that echoed through himself. For every bite, every scratch, hit, and rough fondle he was on the receiving end of, he was another step away from the pain that waited for him right outside of the club doors.

His eyes were unfocused, his mind deep in the sub space that he craved, and those who gathered around him were blurred and in a haze, similar to that of cigarette smoke. It took a moment for him to fully focus when he felt his head get pulled around by his hair, a firm, yet gentle hand guiding his head before firm, full lips, tasting faintly of pine crashed into his lips, a pierced tongue spearing into and claiming his mouth thoroughly.

The amount of passion in that kiss had him tensing in surprising pleasure, a surprised moan escaping him even as he tried to press closer to the mans kiss. A moment later the man pulled away with a narrowed eyed glare as his dom, the madam shrieked from the other side of the man.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Get the fuck away from my pet!" She demanded, her hand

tightening around her riding crop and lifting it, obviously getting ready to use it on the man who still had his hand buried in Bickslows hair. The man didn't even acknowledge her as he leaned closer, brushing his lips against the sensitive lobe of the Seiths ear.

"You are MINE and I'm getting you out of this joke of a club." The man snarled, the sound sending a wave of belonging through Bickslow, even as he shuddered under the intense sensation that rippled down his spine.

"I told you to get away from him!" Bickslow heard his Madame snarl, and a bare second later the comforting heat that had been pressed against him a moment before was gone, followed by a high pitched yelp. He struggled to bring his mind back to the present, turning to see a tall hulking figure dwarfing his Madame, one hand gripping her wrist tightly until she dropped the riding crop, a whimper escaping her, a terror filled look settling on her face as the man leaned over her, his lips drawn back in a snarl with fangs glistening in the low light of the club.

"You dared to touch what is MINE and while he may not have known it at the time he met you, I am no longer letting him remain with you, do you understand me?"

Bickslow shuddered at the threat in those words, unable to fully focus. What was wrong with him? Usually he could snap back faster than this. It alarmed him how hard it was.

"And on top of that, you drugged him! What were you going to do? Force him to entertain you? Or entertain any number of others here just for your pleasure?" That question had nausea roiling in Bickslows stomach. He had been drugged?

"Who the hell do you think you are to demand that I give up my pet to you? YOU'RE NOBODY!" The woman screamed, trying to yank herself free from his grasp. When he let it go suddenly to watch her stumble, the sadistic smirk that crossed his face had Bickslow gulping hard. Their actions were drawing the attention of many, and the woman was quick to step up and swipe at the other man, her nails sharp and gleaming and...dripping? He could tell that she was confident that she would win against him.

But she wasn't expecting the iron scales that formed over his skin in the blink of an eye.

"A poison mage eh? Gi-Hi! Those poison tipped nails of yours are nothing compared to the poison dragon slayer. I'm Kurogane, pretty sure you're heard of me." He answered with cocky confidence.

Hearing that name finally had Bickslow able to focus, and he saw him there. The long untamed mane of black hair, laying along his back like its own cloak, the metal studs that shone even in the low light, the iron scales that glimmered, narrowed crimson eyes, and a body that had been built to destroy anything that went against it. Bickslow couldn't help but gulp against the sudden dry throat he had. He was fairly certain all the blood in his body had rushed to one area, and while he could tell this was a touchy situation, he couldn't seem to help himself.

The quirked eyebrow and look he got from the corner of crimson eyes had him flushing brightly and ducking his head. Shaking his head, Kurogane turned back to the woman that had tried to attack him, and do a great deal of damage to the mage restrained on the cross.

"W-wait yo-you're Kurogane?! Black Steel Gajeel?!" The woman whimpered, starting to back up, swallowing hard against the lump of fear that took up residence in her throat. The pure, malice filled, anger induced smile that crossed his face told her that she was screwed, and far from the fun ways she preferred. She knew she liked inflicting pain on others and forcing them to do her bidding, but the man before her was a legend in both good and dark ways.

"The one and only. And the one you've been playing with for the last number of months? He's mine. Do you really think you can keep him from me?" He asked, a dark chuckle echoing around the now silent club. The shifting of clothes could be heard like a shout with how quiet everyone had become.

"What right do you have to him? He came to me!" She countered with a triumphant look. "If he's yours, then obviously he wasn't happy if he came to me!"

The hand that suddenly appeared around her throat and gradually tightened had her gasping, flailing, struggling for purchase against the slick surface of his iron skin. The fact that he then pulled her in close to him, so close that she could see just how sharp and deadly his fangs could be, had her pissing herself in fear. His hot breath burning across her skin had her quaking in his hand, and his words had her whimpering in agreement.

"You know nothing of him. He is my mate, MINE, and if you ever so much as even think of him, and I will know if you do, I'll bolt you to that fucking cross and kill you. Don't come between a dragon and their mate." With his warning made very clear, he threw her back to land in a jumbled mess with her other play thing before turning back to Bickslow, his gaze softening ever so slightly as he strode over to him, peeling his long overcoat off as he went. Lifting a hand, he was careful to brush the loose hanging locks of blue and black hair away from the seith mages face before reaching up to shatter the cuffs that restrained him to the cross. He didn't even think twice before wrapping the coat around the other mage, his worry evident in the careful touches he was giving. Without another word, he turned, and keeping an arm around him, led Bickslow from the club.

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Outside in the cool night air, Gajeel was quick to check his surroundings before stepping into the shadows, pulling the silent man with him. A few minutes later had them stepping out of the shadows once more, into a warm, softly lit room. Quietly looking around, Bix saw a long couch, an armchair, iron wrought floor lamp, coffee table, fireplace and lacrima tv.

A living room. He had stepped into the shadows and walked into a cozy lit living room. The soft patter of small feet caught his attention, and he watched as Levy stepped into the room from what was obviously a hallway, a redbox – an emergency kit – cradled in her hands. Still keeping silent, he followed the gentle nudges he was given and sat on the couch, keeping the coat wrapped tightly around him, feeling oddly chilled.

Levy curled up on the couch beside him, watching him carefully, as Gajeel sat on the - that had to be rune enforced he swore – coffee table, effectively keeping him from getting up. He tried to keep his eyes down, not wanting to see the pity, the rejection in the hazel or crimson eyes that were watching him ever so closely. The firm hand on his chin however had him lifting his head, but still he managed to keep his eyes down, much as he had in the club. But he could not ignore the direct order he was given, especially not when it was given in that rough voice he loved so much.

"Look at me Bickslow." Gajeel stated firmly, not letting his gaze waver, nor letting Bickslows eyes leave his once, they were locked on each other. When he did as he was told, but did not say anything, Gajeel gave a mental sigh. He knew he would have a lot of work to do with Bix. No time like the present after all.

Keeping his gaze and hand firm, not letting Bix get away from him, he took a deep breath.

"Bickslow, we need to talk. There are some things, you need to know about. And you're not leaving until we work this out. The three of us."


	8. Chapter 7

MBS Chapter 7 The Road Reborn

~Fifteen years prior~

"Dad!"

Footsteps could be heard hurrying too and from, followed by the sound of doors opening and being slammed closed.

"Dad!"

Servants working on dusting the many, many, MANY nooks and crannies of the castle that the Pradesh family resided in could only stop and chuckle as they watched a small gangly boy dart past them, still opening doors here and there.

"FATHER!"

"My goodness boy, I'm right here, what's the matter Bickslow?" Arman asked, hurrying out of the room at the end of the hall. He had heard the shouting and the slamming of doors, but it had been faint at first. It wasn't until he had heard his son call to him specifically that he had known he was really needed.

"It happened again! I don't know what's-Dad your chest is glowing blue!" Bickslow exclaimed screeching to a halt, looking up at his father in shock. Seeing his sons eyes faintly glowing, Arman mentally started cursing and quickly pulled him into the library that he had been in a moment before.

Leading the young boy over to a far corner of the room, Arman quickly reached up to grip the small statue on the top shelf of a bookcase. Silently it swung away from them, showing a dim hallway and without a word, he stepped into it with his son following close behind him. The door swung shut and torches lit up the hallway, leading them deeper into the castle, and as the path started sloping down, Bickslow realized it was starting to go under the castle as well.

"Dad? Where are we going?" Bickslow asked quietly. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that he needed to be quiet, but his curiosity was eating away at him.

"You'll see. I know you'll have many questions Bickslow, and I want you to ask those questions, but I need you to just wait ok? Can you do that for me?" Arman asked, pausing as he turned to crouch down and place a gentle hand on his sons small shoulder. Seeing the still glowing eyes had his emotions warring within him, pride and worry, joy and fear tearing him apart. Seeing those eyes dart down to his chest once more, he could only believe that his emotions were affecting the color of his soul, and hoped his son wouldn't comment on it as of yet.

Seeing Bickslow nod, Arman sighed in relief.

"Yes Father." Bix said softly. He very rarely called Arman Father, preferring the more comfortable term of Dad, but when he used the term Father, Arman knew he was being serious and accepted what was needed. Without another word, Arman shifted back to standing and continue leading the way.

After what felt like hours, and crossing the occasional line of runes engraved into the slabs of stone, the almost endless darkness started to lighten, and soon enough Arman and Bickslow were standing in a chamber that pulsed with energy and magic. Bickslow knew his mouth was hanging open and he didn't honestly care. He could feel the magic wrapping around him in a welcoming embrace, pulling him further into the chamber. It wasn't until he felt a sudden gentle, yet firm, pull on something within him that he had been led to a spot almost in the middle of the chamber.

"Um...Dad?" He called, looking over to find that Arman was still standing in what he now saw was one of many doorways. "What's happening?" The fear lacing Bickslow's voice had Arman hurrying forward with a smile.

"It's ok son, don't be afraid. You're perfectly safe here, you know that." Arman assured, kneeling down beside him.

"Your father is right Bickslow, you're perfectly safe." A gentle, soothing voice said, causing him to jump and spin around, trying to find it's source. Seeing his dad look towards the middle of the room, he followed his gaze, seeing what he had thought were dust motes gathering around themselves. Soon enough a tall man appeared, midnight hair waving down to the collar of the comfortable cotton shirt he wore, gold eyes gentle as he knelt down to bring himself to a level gaze with Bickslow.

"Who're you?" Bickslow asked with a narrowed gaze, fighting the urge to hide behind his father.

"My name is Draco, I'm the celestial dragon spirit. I've been friends with your father for a long time. In fact I was there to help when your father found you when you were three years old." Draco explained gently.

"You mean, you were there-"

"When you lost your first home yes. I knew you would do well with Arman, so I brought him to you." Draco explained with a small smile. "I had to go home for a while, and take your brother, Zen, with me. He is very special, just like you are. That's why your dad brought you down here."

"I'm special?" Bickslow asked, tilting his head. Without much thought his gaze shifted down to Dracos chest and he saw an orb of multi-colored lights, making him think of the night sky.

"Yes indeed, you are very special. You see Bickslow, you share something with me that only a couple of others do."

"What's that?"

"I can't tell you right now, it's too soon. But just know that no matter what happens in your life, you'll never be completely alone. What you can do right now? The different colors you see that rest on a persons chest? Those are their souls. That is your power. You are a Seith mage Bickslow, and your magic

rests in a very gray area of how it can be handled. You need to start studying your magic, your father will help, and any information I can get on it, I will bring here, to this chamber so you can study it. Also, do you like to do flips and handstands and stuff? Like you see people do in the circus?" Draco asked, being careful in choosing his words, even as he kept a careful eye on the growing excitement washing over Bickslows face, and the pride and worry chasing each other across Armans face.

At Bickslows excited nod, Draco could not help but laugh in delight.

"Yea! I've seen the stuff and thought it was a lot of fun! I've been trying to learn on my own, but I'm not very good at it yet." Bickslow stated, his shoulders slumping. Feeling a hand ruffle his hair, he looked up with a smile, a giggle escaping him at the amused look in Dracos eyes.

"And that's ok, just continue to work at it. With your magic, being an acrobat will be a great help for you. I'm sure your father will hire someone to help you with your training. For now though, why don't you sleep." With that said, Draco was quick to catch Bickslow as he slumped against him. Letting out a tired sigh, he turned his gaze to Arman with a slight smile.

"Don't worry, he's just sleeping. I needed to speak with you, and I miss carrying him in my arms, so I thought I'd do this while gaining the privacy we need."

"Is he going to be alright?" Arman asked softly, reaching up to run his fingers through his sons black hair.

It was then that he noticed the blue sections that were starting to appear. Blinking, he shifted through the hair further, and saw more in the underparts of his hair.

"Depends on your definition of alright. For right now, he's fine, through his training he'll be fine. But there are some rough roads ahead Arman, and he'll need his family. He'll also need them."

"You know his family will always stand by him, no matter what."

"Yes I know, you've done very well making sure to ingrain the sense of family into your children. But I'm not speaking of just his family that he'll need. He'll also need them." Draco stated, emphasizing his last word.

"Them? Who?"

"His soulmates, the others who were reborn to be with them. You know the legends. You know the dragons that passed away, but their souls were reborn? Bix has one of them, you know this, I told you when I brought you to him." Draco scolded lightly, keeping his voice quiet as he stood with Bix cradled in his arms before leaving out of the same archway that Arman and Bix had entered through.

"Well, yes, you did tell me, but I thought it was just any dragon."

"Nope, Bix has a part of the soul of my long ago son within him. He will be a very strong Seith mage. His mates were reborn as well, and already Bix is dreaming of them, while things are starting to appear around him, attempting to get him ready for when he meets them face to face."

"Wait, you mean to tell me he's going to have two soulmates, not just the usual one?"

"Exactly. One of them was born a few months before Bix was, the last one was born shortly after. Have you not ready ANY of the books I left with you for safekeeping the moment I brought you together?"

"I read some, but not all of it makes a lot of sense to me. But I've gotten flashes here and there, of a small blue hair pixie like woman, and a sturdy dark haired man, having something to do with iron and runes." Arman explained over his shoulder with a huff, keeping his eyes on the path ahead so he didn't trip.

Letting out a sigh of acceptance, Draco nodded without another word until they passed through the hidden door leading back into the castle library. Continuing along the edge of the large room, Arman ducked into a smaller room, also lined with shelves, but protected heavily with runes and his own blood. He didn't have to think about where the books were that he needed, and was quick to head to them, reaching out to run his fingers along leather bound, cracking, fading, aging spines.

Feeling his fingers tingle as he landed on one thick book in particular, he pulled it free from the shelf, before moving to drop into one of the two armchairs that flanked the small fireplace in the room. Draco had already claimed one, with Bickslow still asleep and draped across his lap, head nestled into the dip of Draco's shoulder. Minutes passed as Arman flipped through the pages of the heavy tome, his eyes scanning quickly. Muttering a curse under his breath, he decided to cheat a little. Resting the pads of his fingers on the edge of the pages, he activated the find rune that was on every thick book in his possession.

He didn't have to see Draco roll his eyes at him to know it was being done and wordlessly lifted his other hand to give him the bird before stating clearly, "Find: Anam." Lifting his hands from the book, the pages started flipping quickly until a little more than halfway through the book, it stopped. Scanning the text on one side, he then glanced at the picture facing the text and couldn't help but groan.

Hearing the snicker from the other chair, Arman glowered at Draco for a moment before shifting his gaze to his still sleeping son.

"Is something ever the matter Arman?" Draco asked with a knowing smirk. The glare he received had him biting back a laugh. He knew, he simply knew, that if Bickslow hadn't been in his lap, Arman would've already sent one of his sound spells at him. And Draco would have walked away limping. Arman was a monster of a powerful mage in his own right, ranked up there with a Wizard Saint, if not beyond, and more than once the two of them had faced off against each other, both needing to be patched up afterwards. Instead, he had Bickslow on his lap, both for the cuddles he loved to get with his honorary nephew, and the human shield from his powerful father.

King Arman had been ruling the kingdom of Archipelago, for many years now, firm, yet compassionate, and loyal almost to a fault. He was caring, loving, quick to offer a helping hand. But the gods help you if you ever attack his family, because he would not show any form of mercy. He had ruled with a sense of equality to his citizens for so long, even before he had been crowned King, that when someone did try and attack, the citizens of his Kingdom did not think twice about taking up arms.

Found off of the coasts of Bosco and Fiore, Archipelago was a country of islands unto themselves. The main island where the royal castle had been built was easily half the size of Fiore, and a quarter size of Bosco. Neither countries were small, but being almost smack dab in the middle of the ocean between the two countries had been a smart move on his ancestors parts, and he had helped it grow further. Add in that the main island was surrounded by seven smaller islands that were tied to the royal family, and the amount of power Arman had could easily rival that of Fiore and Bosco combined.

But he never held that power over any of his neighboring kingdoms. He was quick to do trade with anyone who legitimately had only good plans for the kingdom. He was quick to offer aid when it was needed. And the education system that he had had developed for every citizen to use was the best in all of Earthland.

Even being all of these things, Arman was still human, and still missed things at times. Like this.

"The island changed didn't it?" Draco asked, sounding amused.

"Oh shut it!" Arman snapped, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. When he had taken the thrown, his father had passed on the information of the islands that made up his home. He had a great deal of things to protect in this kingdom, not just the citizens. Each island had its own secret, its own hidden myth, and each one was tied to the royal family. It didn't matter if the member was blood related or not, as soon as the childs name was placed into the Pradesh family book, the entire kingdom became tied to each member.

The only difference being, when certain members names were added, if a particular name appeared beside that name, the member would become tied to a particular island. Honestly, he should've been paying closer attention. He remembered that day well. The day Bickslow had joined the royal family, and his name had been added to the family book.

He had been sitting in his chambers, trying to come to terms with the grief of losing his wife to an illness, and his at the time youngest son being swept off to the celestial realm by Draco himself due to Zen's particular lost magic, when Draco appeared before him looking battered, and worried. He had refused to listen to anything Draco had wanted to say, too lost in his grief until a solid punch to his jaw had knocked him from his chair. An all out, purely physical brawl had happened then, with the king and his friend, a celestial spirit, rolling around in the royal chambers, exchanging curses and insults that would make even the most experienced woman blush.

Finally they had collapsed next to each other, panting, glaring, when the dam that had been holding Armans grief at bay, shattered, and sobs had spilled forth, quickly building to all out roars of anguish.

His wife, his best friend since they had been children, was gone, and one of the other lights in his life had been taken from him before he could even fully bond with him, because of a lost magic that he had been born with that he could not control. His baby son, his darling little Zen who he'd barely had time with taken away.

All Draco had done was grab his friend into a tight embrace, not once flinching away from the pounding his back was taking from grief laden fists, nor cringing from the wails that reached levels that had been painful to his dragon hearing. Arman was a sound mage, just like his first born son, and when he lost his control over his magic, he could demolish buildings, shatter glass, and worse, kill people. Draco remembered the day Arman's grandfather, a strong celestial mage, and his previous master, had summoned Draco to help Arman learn control of his sound magic. What better teacher of control then that of a dragon with overly heightened senses?

And now, now his long time friend was grieving so much, and had had no one to help him with that grief.

Draco had hated how long it had taken for him to come back on his own power to help him after taking Zen away to the celestial realm to be trained. The shock, the anger, and the look of betrayal he had gotten from Arman had caused such emotional pain that even Draco had demolished his own home in the sky from the force of his fury.

He had even felt his nose and ears begin to bleed from the magical pressure being released from his friend, and still he didn't stop him. He deserved any form of punishment that his friend, the king, felt he

needed to dish out. After what he had been sure was hours, and Armans grief had subsided into exhaustion, Draco had leaned back with his hands bracing his friends shoulders.

"Arman, I know you are grieving, and there is nothing I would ever do to try and stop what you rightfully deserve to feel, however, there is a young boy that needs your help, and more importantly, he needs your protection. Take him in as your child, take him in as one of yours, build the family that you know Elaine wanted to have with you. Live that dream for her." Those words that had been said gad reinforced their friendship, and it hadn't taken long for them to be off.

Looking back down at the boy sleeping in his lap, Draco couldn't help but smile. While Bickslow may not have physically been his son, knowing that the soul of his son resided in him made him very happy. He was very happy to know that he had been able to help his friend in reaching the goal of the large family that his late wife had wanted, and while one of the children were not there, the fact that there were seven small children now running wild around the castle certainly kept things interesting. Shifting his fingers through the hair that flopped across Bickslows forehead had him smirking at the strands of bright blue.

"I see he's already picking up a couple of his mates traits." Draco mused quietly, knowing that even then, Arman would hear him.

"Indeed." Arman agreed with a sigh, looking over the book in his lap once more before writing in a few instructions before shutting it and rising to put it back in its spot.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes yes, it's just as expected. When Bickslows name was added to the family book, it knew what his magic would be, and immediately connected him with Anam island. And now, because his power has started to manifest itself, the island is picking up on it. The flowers that haven't changed in centuries are suddenly different overnight. Thankfully the citizens of that island were made aware when moving to that island that it might happen. The first time they experienced the flowers changing was when Bix became part of the family and every flower turned into blue hydrangeas. They were expecting to see a new flower appear beside those. However, they were NOT expecting bright orange lilies AND black roses with wickedly sharp thorns to appear. So I just sent off a quick note, letting them know everything was fine, and to adjust the care of the flowers as needed."

"I'm glad you're handling this so well Arman." Draco said softly with a quirk of his lips.

"It's not like I have much choice in the matter." Arman huffed, dropping back into his chair.

"That's not true and you know it. You could've just as easily tried to bind his powers, keep him from going down this particular road."

"And you know that I would never do something like that to any of my children. If I did, I would've never let you take Zen away." Arman admonished, pain thinly veiled at the mention of one of his children. It had been a number of years now, but the pain was just as fresh, just as potent, but a little easier to handle.

Seeing the same pain in Dracos eyes, he was quick to shake his head before shifting his gaze to Bix once more, seeing the blue and black mixed strands.

"So tell me Draco, why is his physical appearance starting to change? Last time I checked in what I did read of the books you gave me, while soul mates do form a bond that is eternal, their looks don't change. And yet, the natural dark brown hair he had before is now black and blue, and his brown eyes are now lined with hazel and crimson."

"The changes are happening because it's a bit more than just a soul mate bond." Draco explained with a tired sigh, shifting his arms into a slightly more comfortable position.

"What are you talking about?"

"In one of the books I gave you, there is a section about the Mind, Body, and Soul bond. You'll want to read it extensively." The dragon said, giving his friend a very pointed look.

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a bit more difficult than I had originally hoped for?"

"When is anything worth anything easy? Bickslow has a long road ahead of him, one that a part of his soul walked before, and now it's time to walk it again to keep the peace. In all honesty, there is a lot riding on each of your children, but none more so then Bickslow or Zen."

"What? What does Zen have to do with this?" Arman demanded with a narrow-eyed gaze.

"I can't tell you unfortunately, my own king has ordered me to keep my mouth shut on certain things." Draco spit out, hating that particular order. Feeling Bix shift slightly in his lap, he forced himself to calm.

"There is a great deal ahead of your sons, and we are depending on each of them, as well as the rest of your children." Taking a deep breath, Draco looked back up to see that Arman was about to demand more answers, so he decided to cut him off with something else to distract him.

"By the way, Emzadi and Cristoffs dragons will be arriving in a couple of days to begin training them to be dragon slayers, you'll want to prepare." Draco warned in a completely bland tone of voice. He knew the reaction would be worth it in three, two, one-

"WHAT?!"


	9. Chapter 8

MBS Chapter 8 Accusations, and Secrets

"Look at me, Bickslow." Gajeel stated firmly, not letting his gaze waver, or letting Bickslow's eyes leave his once they were locked on each other. When he did as he was told, but did not say anything, Gajeel gave a mental sigh. He knew he would have a lot of work to do with Bix. No time like the present after all.

Keeping his gaze and hand firm, not letting Bix get away from him, he took a deep breath.

"Bickslow, we need to talk. There are some things, you need to know about. And you're not leaving until we work this out. The three of us."

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Staring at the two of them, Bix could feel his mind racing, and knew that Gajeel could hear his heart pounding, not even counting the nervous sweat that had coated his skin and could be smelled by the sensitive dragon slayer nose.

Gulping against the ball of nerves that took up residence in the back of his throat, all Bix could do was whisper, "There's nothing to talk about."

"That's bullshit, and you know it." Gajeel snapped, his fingers tightening ever so slightly on Bix's chin, his eyes narrowing as frustration lit them with a fire that had Bix squirming. But he couldn't let this happen. He couldn't let himself hope for something more. The sight of Levy already being here was answer enough that they were both far past his reach now.

"The only thing I know is that you two are mates, and the fact that you've grown closer over the last number of weeks or months tells me that you finally told her. I'm honestly surprised that you haven't marked her yet." Bix scoffed, fighting to lower his gaze once more. He wasn't sure how much longer he could handle the direct look he was receiving.

"Yes, she knows, and we have our own reasons for it. That will be something to be gone over later. For right now, we're focused on you." Gajeel stated firmly, releasing the strong chin he held to prop his elbows on his knees.

"There's no need to focus on me, you should worry about yourselves." Bix stated flatly, his eyes dropping to the ground once more.

"I didn't say you could look away from me Bix." Gajeel stated firmly, the tone showing that he would accept nothing else. When Bix's eyes shot back up to meet his, he nodded in satisfaction. "Good, outside of blinking, or shifting your gaze between Levy and I, I don't want to see your gaze fall to the ground. If that happens, you won't like the consequences." Gajeel continued, his voice deepening. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Levy shiver slightly and curl up into more of a ball, her thighs rubbing together ever so slightly. He could smell the first stirrings of arousal coming from her, and had to fight the urge to growl.

Gulping hard, Bix nodded, curling his hands around the edge of the cushions till his knuckles turned white, fighting the need to lower his gaze. Seeing that Bix wasn't about to say anything, Levy caught Gajeels eyes with a questioning look, and when she got a barely there nod, she scooted closer, pressing against Bix's side.

"Ok, Bix, what we're going to do, is we're going to ask questions, and we need you to answer them honestly ok?" Levy said softly, letting her hand rest on his gently. Seeing him shift his gaze to her, she smiled reassuringly. She could see him hesitate, then let out a relieved breath when he nodded in acceptance.

"Ok, first, how long have you been going to that club?" Gajeel asked gruffly, drawing Bickslows gaze back to him.

"Months." Bix answered shortly. It was the truth, didn't mean he had to-

"How many months?" Levy elaborated.

'-Fuck.' Bix thought with a mental sigh. Of course she would catch that. "Um...not sure exactly...I think it was right before you two got together." Bix answered softly.

"That long? Ok...Bix, why did you run after you answered my question about soulmates?" Levy asked, keeping her eyes steady on his face. Hearing that question had him gulping hard, and she watched as he paled.

"C-can we move onto the next question?" He asked.

"No. We are taking this one question at a time, then going on to the next." Gajeel cut in, knowing that Levy was likely to cave at the look on Bix's face. He watched as Bix took a shaky breath, aware of the clenching of his hands, and he could see from the flickering of his hands that he was keeping a strangle hold on his eyes, both magic wise, and to keep them from dropping to the floor. "If we are going to get anywhere with what has been happening the last number of months, we all need answers. And I get the odd feeling that you might know more than you're letting on, Bix." Gajeel continued softly, seeing the barely-there flash of pain that was there then gone.

"I ran because not many people know that seith mages have soulmates, a bond that is strong, very strong, like what Dragon Slayers have. And like the slayers, it's an eternal commitment, that allows soulmates to find each other in each life." Bix explained, hedging slightly, and hoping that they wouldn't press further. Of course, at that moment, things seemed to not be working in his favor.

"There's more to it, I know there is. If it was just that, you wouldn't have run as quickly as you did." Gajeel huffed. His nose could smell the anxiety and the fear rolling off the soul mage in waves. Seeing him gulp and pale, Gajeel narrowed his gaze further. "What is it Bix?"

Sighing, Bix closed his eyes and shook his head, feeling overwhelmed, and fighting the burning at the back of his eyes. It took him a moment to find his voice enough to answer in a barely distinguishable whisper. "I ran because having one soulmate is hard enough to find, having two is nearly non-existent, the recordings of it are so sporadic and unheard of that I'm surprised that there are ANY forms of history about it. I ran because for whatever reason, I have two soulmates, both of which are people I know, who I can't have because they found someone else, and I'm not someone to cause problems like that, no matter the cost or pain to me. I ran, because being asked that question had the knowledge that I would always be alone hit me hard and was something I didn't want to deal with in front of someone. I ran, because I was and still am afraid."

Opening his eyes, looking Gajeel straight on, he knew his emotions could be clearly seen.

Gajeel found his own throat slamming shut at the utter devastation, the pain, the loss, ultimately the utter defeat that was clear as a sun lit day in Bix's eyes. He didn't have to look to know that even Levy could see it, and from the sudden smell of saltwater in the air, he knew her own eyes had immediately filled with tears. He had to fight against his dragon snarling in anger within him, against the sense of failure that nearly overwhelmed him. He had failed his mate. By taking too long to approach him, he had failed his mate, causing him way too pain and anguish, he'd made a promise and he'd fucked up.

"Bickslow...why were, are, you afraid?" Levy asked softly, leaning further into him, drawn to him, letting herself press into his side ever so slightly. She watched as his eyes fluttered closed again, feeling his torso shudder at the ragged breath he drew into his lungs. Her mind was working quickly, taking into account, and finding the connections between what he was saying, and the things she had learned about slayer mates from Gajeel. It didn't take her long to reach her conclusion, and had to fight the urge to smile, the corners of her mouth twitching. Catching Gajeel looking at her from the corner of his own gaze, she gave a small nod. She knew from experience that he was much smarter than many gave him credit for. While his intelligence may not run on the same level as hers, and he much preferred using his physical strength for things, he was aware and able to piece things together at a speed similar to her own skills.

"I'm afraid of what anyone is afraid of. Never finding someone to share my life with. Being alone. I know I have my family, my friends, the guild, but not being able to add to, and build my own family? A life of lonely nights with no one to come back to after a mission?" Bix paused to shake his head. "That's a fear everyone has, and I would've been satisfied with anyone I had found, and could come to love...If I hadn't discovered who my soulmates were. But now, knowing who they are, knowing I'll never be able to be with them? I'll never be able to settle for someone else, because a part of myself will never be theirs completely, and that's not fair to them. It's not fair to them for me to constantly wonder "what if". I could never do that to someone else, build that family with someone else if I couldn't give myself to them completely. And if their soulmate came along and saw it? I'd be honor bound to make sure they got together, no matter the pain it put me through as long as that person was happy." Bix explained softly, ending with a shrug as he let his gaze stare off into space as he thought about that possible future.

Feeling a small hand trace along his cheek, Bix was brought back to that moment as he turned to stare into warm hazel eyes.

"Oh Bickslow...why don't you let us help you? We'd be more than happy to help you with your soulmates. Who are they?" Levy asked with a sincere tone, hiding the puddle that her heart had become listening to how heartfelt his words had been. Seeing him shake his head, she frowned slightly.

"It doesn't matter. They found each other, and I'm not going to allow anything to happen that could damage that bond that is still forming. A bond like that is one that I refuse to mess with unless it's to help heal it." Bix whispered, tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes.

"Why can't you tell us? What if they want you as well? What if the bond isn't complete without you?" Gajeel asked gruffly. Like Levy, his mind had already made the connections and realized that even as his dragon had been pulling him to the two mages sitting across from him, Bix's magic had been pulling him towards them. But he didn't know that it was possible for a slayer to have two mates as well. And since neither he nor Levy had ever approached Bix, he had no reason to believe that they wanted him. He figured he'd follow the shrimps lead for right now, trying to get Bix to admit to who his own mates were.

"To find another bond like that, to balance out mine, is impossible. I've never found a single word in any book about something like that happening." Bix denied, shaking his head. "Look, it's getting late, I should be going." He hedged. He could feel his control cracking, knowing that he wouldn't be able to handle being so close to them for much longer. Hearing a weary sigh, he watched as Gajeel and Levy stared at each other, having a silent conversation.

He watched in confusion as Gajeel's gaze slid to him, then back to Levy and tilting his head. Levy's mouth dropped a little before snapping shut as she shook her head fervently. If he hadn't known any better, he could swear that if she had been vocal, an embarrassed squeal would be escaping her. A low growl escaped from Gajeel, echoing around the room that had Levy freezing in place before meeting his gaze with her own, her face flushing red.

A studded eyebrow lifted, followed by a short nod had her shrinking slightly, biting her lip. Bix didn't know what was happening, but he could see that Levy was suddenly being very – his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped as he realized exactly how she was acting. Submissive. Embarrassed sure, and uncomfortable, but definitely submissive. A change in energy had Bix shifting his gaze back to Gajeel and gulping. The aura coming from Gajeel had Bix gulping and his own submissive side stepping up to have him back down willingly. He didn't know why but he even started to tilt his head to expose his neck to the other man, unconsciously acknowledging that Gajeel was the alpha, the dominant in the room.

He couldn't even fight the wave of arousal that flooded his system that only spiked when a steady crimson gaze caught his own once more.

"Kitten." Gajeel stated softly.

"Yes sir." Levy answered just as softly. Shifting his gaze to watch her, Bickslow found himself gaping in shock a bit as she suddenly straddled his lap, lacing her fingers through his hair to hold his head still. The next moment had him gasping as sensations flooded through him, her lips catching his and taking advantage of his parted lips, timidly asking to take the kiss deeper.

He knew he was screwed.

Feeling her pressed against him like this, kissing him so passionately while still shyly, had him groaning even as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tighter against him, letting his own mouth open further, teasing her into a deeper kiss. He could hear whimpers reaching him through the fog of pleasure clouding his senses, and just when he was about to let her go, thinking that she didn't want what was happening, he felt her press down insistently on his lap, catching the bulge that had formed quickly between his and her legs.

Tearing his mouth from hers, he let his head fall back against the back of couch with a breath hissing from between his teeth. He felt her press her face against his neck, and knew that he would be forever tormented with this. He didn't know what they were doing, but this was torture. He knew he'd never be able to have either of them, so why were - a chuckle cut him off and he shifted his head enough to see the joy filled crimson eyes gazing back at him, paired with a soft smile.

"A little known fact about dragons and slayers Bix, is that it is possible, incredibly rare, but possible for a dragon or slayer to have two mates as well." Gajeel explained with a slight smirk at the steadily widening gaze of Bix. It was obvious that Bix was speechless and he was loving it, and the sight of Levy clinging to Bix like the kitten he had nicknamed her for.

"That being said, why didn't you ever tell us that we're your soulmates Bix?" Levy asked gently, leaning back to run her fingers down his cheek in a gentle caress. Seeing him pale, then flush bright red had her smiling softly, brushing her fingers over the mark that graced his face as she let her eyes trace over the features of his face. She couldn't help but start giggling slightly when he started to speak and instead stumbled over his words.

"Wh-how did- when -" Bix stammered, unable to keep his tongue from knotting on itself.

"How did we figure that out?" Levy guessed, a full-blown smile gracing her face. "Or when?" Seeing him nod sheepishly, she cast a quick look over her shoulder to Gajeel still perched on the coffee table, a question in her eyes. Getting his nod, she turned back to Bix while taking a deep breath.

"I figured it out after doing some research on your magic and dragon slayer mates, and being told by Gajeel that he had two mates. When Gajeel told me who his mates were, I came to ask you about the possibility of having two soulmates. Your running away confirmed my suspicions."

Feeling himself reeling a bit still, Bix found it difficult to make the connections as she had. "What do you mean?"

"You and shrimp are my mates Bix, and when shrimp told me how it was possible for you to have two soulmates, I knew then that we were them." Gajeel explained, shifting to sit next to them to be closer.

"Wait...I-I'm your-" Bix broke off, struggling to breathe smoothly, his gaze shifting between the two of them.

"You're our mate. I've been feeling the pull towards the both of you for a long time, since I joined Fairy Tail really, but never did anything because after everything I had done to everyone, I didn't feel that I deserved to be with either of you, so I stuck to the shadows." Gajeel explained, lifting a hand to grip Bix's shoulder, providing a steadiness through the storm of emotions that the mage was experiencing.

"And I've felt a pull towards you Bix for as long as I can remember, but never did anything because you know I was never one for being in the limelight. Then when Gajeel joined the guild, that pull only got stronger. I never did anything at that point either because I've never seen myself as being strong, or being deserving of two mages like yourselves, so I forced myself to be content with being in the background."

Levy explained, shrugging at the slight glare that she received from two sets of eyes.

"So...what does that mean for us?" Bix asked, uncertainty coloring his voice.

"It means, that we take things one step at a time, we discuss things that we've already found out about each other, and, I feel we can even claim that the three of us are in a relationship now." Levy stated simply. "If we're his mates and your soulmates, meant to be together, trying to fight that would only cause more pain for each of us in the long run."

"I agree with shrimp on this one." Gajeel stated firmly. "Once a dragon makes his claim known, no one else interests him. When I realized you two were my mates, no one else held my interest."

"What are we going to do about the guild?" Bix asked softly.

"What bout it?" Levy asked, tilting her head.

"Are we going to tell them?"

"A chance to be the ones to cause a huge party, lose the number of bets that are going around, AND cause Mira to faint with all of the pairings she had been certain were going to happen? Hell yea, we're going to tell them, and I'm probably going to be laughing my ass off the entire time." Gajeel smirked.

"There is that, the entertainment factor is sure to be high." Bix mused, his head still reeling. Feeling a strong hand cup his chin, he turned to look at Gajeel directly, and finding a warmth filled gaze staring back at him, he felt himself flush. He couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped him when Gajeel leaned forward to press his mouth to his in a firm kiss.

"Now Levy is going to go and get started on dinner, and while we eat dinner, we'll discuss where we found you hiding at for these last few months. Is there anything else that you want us to know before she starts dinner? I'd like anything that doesn't directly have anything to do with that club be covered before dinner."

"Um...there might be one thing, something that could be considered by some as bigger than where you found me." Bix admitted with a wince.

"And that would be?" Levy asked, leaning to press against Gajeel, but not leaving Bix's lap.

"Um...no one in the guild, except master, Laxus, and perhaps Mavis, knows my last name. Keeping it from everyone wasn't too big of a deal, since so many of the members are orphans, or just don't have one, etc."

"Bix, you're rambling." Gajeel stated firmly. "What's your last name?"

"Pradesh. My name is Bixlow Pradesh."

"Pradesh...Pradesh...why does that sound so familiar?" Levy mused, brows furrowing in thought.

"Ever hear of the island kingdom of Archipelago?"

"Well yeah, everyone has, it's almost the midpoint of trade between Bosco and Fiore." Levy mused.

"Wellll...my dad runs that kingdom." Bix admitted with a nervous chuckle.

"Runs that kingdom, what do you mea-wait Pradesh, as in King Pradesh?" Levy yelped, jerking upright and staring at him in shock.

Shrugging, and giving a small sheepish smile, Bix nodded.

"King Pradesh is your father?!" Gajeel gulped, mouth gaping. Even in his time with Phantom Lord, he had heard of that kingdom, and knew it to be a kingdom that was run with a firm, yet fair hand, with a such a strong defense against attacks, that many other kingdoms asked them for assistance.

"Adoptive father, but yes. My older brother, Farron, is the direct heir to the throne, but yea, I'm a lesser prince of that kingdom."

"And you're a submissive?!" Gajeel gaped further.

"Yep."

Gajeel shook his head, dark hair falling around his shoulders as Levy headed for the kitchen. When he looked up he saw Bickslow looking just, overwhelmed and smiled.

"Relax Bix, we're together now, and you're sure as hell never going to be alone again." The Dragon Slayer said firmly.


	10. Chapter 9

The steady sound of a knife moving across a cutting board was soothing. The faint humming that came from Levy as she worked in the kitchen had Bix and Gajeel smiling softly. After a few moments of shock, Levy had slid from Bix's lap and headed into the kitchen, needing to do something as she attempted to process what had just been learned about Bix. Of all the things, the different scenarios she had come up with on how things could turn out, that wasn't one of them.

A prince.

A lesser one, but a prince none-the-less.

The guild jokester, the soul mage that was as quick to pull pranks as he was to defend his nakama, was a prince.

How was this even possible? She had fallen for two wonderful men, that much was easy to understand. But she had fallen for a prince? That only ever happened in fairy tale stories, not reality. For now, as she shifted things from the cutting board into the skillet on the stove, she let herself focus on the motions of making dinner as her mind chewed on the new information in the back corner of her thoughts.

In the living room, Gajeel and Bix could be found staring at each other. One in trepidation, one in curiosity. When Gajeel broke the silence, Bix jumped slightly, a bit nervous considering the things that had been found out.

"You know I'm not going to do anything that you don't want right?" Gajeel asked softly. Seeing Bix nod quietly, he tilted his head. 

"What's going through that head of yours Bix? I'm not Cobra, I can't read your soul."

"I'm honestly not entirely sure. I mean, of all the outcomes I was expecting, this wasn't it." Bix shrugged.

"You don't have to worry, we're not going to do anything you're not comfortable with, and it's definitely not going to be rushed into. We want to show you that this is more than just sex." Gajeel stated confidently. When Bix ran his gaze over him, confusion clear in his eyes, Gajeel lifted a brow. "What is it Bix?"

"I'm not...entirely sure how to take what I'm seeing of you." Bix stated softly. Seeing the soft smile, and nod of understanding, Bix felt himself relax a bit further.

"We'll discuss that a bit more over dinner, but for right now, I have to ask, why? Why didn't you ever approach either of us sooner?" Gajeel asked, leaning back, chewing on his lower lip, smirking as he saw Bix's eyes drop to the slightly abused bit of flesh.

"I didn't approach either of you before because I saw you two drawing closer to each other from the moment you joined the guild. When I looked at your souls, I saw you two had already started bonding. When that happened, even when I felt the pull towards the two of you as well, I thought dragons and slayers could only have one mate. Sooo...I left it alone, and accepted that I would be forever alone." Bix explained with a sigh, shrugging his shoulders.

"And what about shrimp? You've known her for years, I know you have, so why not approach her then?"

"That was something completely different. I actually tried for years to approach her, knowing what she was, but anytime I did, there was always something that stopped me. The timing never felt right, something happened, events took place that created a domino effect, that sort of thing, and it just never happened. When you arrived, it started to feel right, but again, things started happening, and any chances I had to approach her, or you, just didn't happen."

"Serendipity."

"What?" Gajeel and Bix echoed as they turned to see Levy standing at the door leading to the kitchen, a small read dishtowel covering her hands as softly as the smile on her face. Her smile only widened, seeing the men staring at her with match curious looks.

"Serendipity, an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident." Levy explained, leaning against the doorjamb with a shoulder. "The three of us have had our own share of trials, hardships, and things we had to overcome, but each step we took, no matter how hard, was leading us to this. And all of those times when we wanted to approach each other before, but something stopped us? It was probably our instincts, and serendipity helping us wait for the right moment."

Looking back at each other, the trio couldn't help but exchange smiles before nodding. 

"I'm not one to argue that. It sounds good to me." Bix stated with a shrug.

"Good. And dinner is ready boys, come eat." Levy announced before turning back to the kitchen and the small table pushed up against a side wall. Hearing the quick steps of the guys behind her, she hurried into the kitchen to grab the various plates that she had already piled with food and set them on the table, grabbing her own smaller portion and joining them.

After a few moments of groans and hums of appreciation, Gajeel leaned back to look at Levy and Bix with a soft gaze. He could already see how well they were going to work together, and knew that things would be just fine. First, though, there were a couple of things that needed to be gone over.

"There are still a few things to discuss Bix, and while I certainly don't want to interrupt this awesome meal, we'll still go over them." Gajeel stated firmly, pausing to take another bite. Feeling the tension in the room increase, he looked up with calm eyes to meet two set of wide ones.

"Wh-what is there to discuss?" Bix murmured, placing his fork down to lean back as well, tucking his hands down and out of sight.

Letting out a sigh, Gajeel shifted to prop his elbows on the table, leaning forward slightly. "We've already established that you've been at that club for months, possibly before shrimp and I even got together."

"Yes."

"How did you find that club?"

Knowing there was no point in hedging answers, Bix shrugged slightly before answering. "I found that club a long time ago, would occasionally visit it, but not too often. Life with the guild kept me busy. But over the last number of months I've been going more often until I was there every night."

"What changed? What made you start going there in the first place? When did you first realize you're a submissive and started looking for someone to meet those needs?" Levy asked curiously, unintentionally cutting in.

"Kitten." Gajeel huffed, eyes narrowed as he watched her gulp slightly and turn towards him. "You're going to overwhelm him with all of the questions, one at a time." He said firmly. Getting an embarrassed nod in return, he turned his gaze back to Bix. Seeing the confused, and cautious gaze, Gajeel took a deep breath before beginning to explain.

"As you can see, shrimp is a submissive as well. I think we've already established you are also. I'm a dominant. Again, pretty sure you picked that up in the club. When at clubs like that, or in undercover work, I go by Kurogane or Black Steel Gajeel. It helps me keep the two parts of my life separate and safe to an extent. I have certain nicknames for those I'm with that I'll only use in my Kurogane persona, and if I use it when there are many others around, it's a way for me to help keep control of a situation, to help keep the both of you safe."

"Meaning..." Bix trailed off, his head tipping slightly in curiosity.

"Meaning, in the bedroom, I'm the dominant, the alpha, I'll call each off you by certain names, and will only call you by your given name if needed. For example, in the bedroom, I'll call shrimp, Kitten, instead. For you...well we'll have to figure that one out. Now, going back to the valid questions that she had, what changed, what happened to make you go there every night?"

Seeing him squirm and drop his gaze, Gajeel was quick to reach out with his leg under the table and tap the other mans shin. Once his gaze was back up, Gajeel nodded in encouragement.

"I started going there every night because the dreams were becoming too much for me to handle, I wanted to find some form of escape in hopes to get some kind of sleep. How did you even find me there?" Bix asked with a furrowed brow. Seeing Gajeel jerk his head to Levy, Bix felt his jaw drop.

"She's actually the one who found you, and when I got back from a mission a couple of weeks ago, she told me that she had tracked you down to that place. I know of it, know that it's honestly the worse club for a safe environment, and knew I needed to get you out of there. So I did."

"How were you even able to track me there Lev? I've been avoiding the guild for weeks now, purposely." Bix asked, flabbergasted.

"Believe me, I know, it wasn't easy. I had to find out where you live, and finding that information out while fending off Mira is not an easy thing, but I managed it. Once I had that, I started following you, but you didn't come out much for long. Until finally I was able to follow you to an alley where you had been pinned by some woman, and it didn't look or feel like you were actually enjoying yourself." Levy huffed, crossing her arms in irritation. Bix could only blink, remembering that day well. He had gone to get that relief, that escape, and the madame had cornered him in the alley. He remembered her kissing him, painfully, and dragging her nails down over his throat, before being dragged inside and strung up to be whipped in front of the crowd.

Thinking back on it now, he shuddered in revulsion, knowing that there was definitely something wrong with what had been happening. Even now, he didn't entirely feel right, feeling like a cold sweat was lightly coating his skin. Gritting his teeth, he fought to keep his focus on the words being said.

"Once I found you there, and Gajeel came home later that evening, I told him what I had seen, and where I had found you, and I knew he would get you out of there." Levy finished, crossing her arms, staring at the table. Because she didn't have dragon slayer senses, she didn't notice the faint trembling, or light clicking of Bix's teeth, until the warmth of Gajeels hand on her arm brought her out her thoughts. Looking up, she saw his steady gaze on the man across the table from him, and turning to run her gaze of their blue and black haired mate, she noticed the trembling and quickly became worried.

Looking back at Gajeel, she saw his nose flaring slightly, narrowed eyes that were quickly filling with fury, and knew there was definitely something wrong. She shifted to get up quickly, but before she could even move from her chair, Gajeel shot around her to brace Bix as he started to convulse, eyes rolling into the back of his head.

"Levy, call Cobra, now!" Gajeel snarled, fighting the urge to destroy things even as he gripped his mates body close, doing all he could think of to keep him from coming to further harm. Seeing Levy spin and sprint out of the room, he was able to split his focus between the call that quickly connected between Levy and Cobra, while staying with Bix. Bix whose heart was racing, and breathing was shallow. And smelled off.

Dammit, he should've noticed it before!

"Hey book-whoa, what's the matter Lev?" Gajeel heard Cobra ask, his worry loud and clear through the comlink.

"Cobra, please, we need you to come over, it's Bix!" Levy whimpered, casting a glance towards the door leading to the kitchen.

"Oh no, uhuh, I'm not going to be anywhere near you three when -"

"GODDAMMIT ERIK WE NEED YOU OVER HERE NOW!" Gajeel roared, enraged that he could feel his mate getting worse, getting weaker, and he was hesitating.

The silence broken just by the pained sounds from Bickslow were all that could be heard for a split second before Cobra answered.

"I'm on my way."

It felt like forever, but knowing that Cobra was home for the night from before Gajeel had left to get Bix, they knew it had not even been two minutes when Cobra burst into the house, following his nose and the smell that had been permeating the air even from outside of the small house. He had been just down the street in his own cottage when he had gotten the call, and as soon as he had stepped outside, he had smelled it. From then he hadn't wasted a moment and broke into a sprint, shoving his shoulder hard against the closed door, and barreling into the house full force.

He wasn't even into the kitchen when he called out to the two he could smell near Bickslow.

"Both of you need to stand back, and for fucks sake don't stop what I'm about to do!" Cobra snarled, skidding into the kitchen and shoving Levy into Gajeels arms and further away from Bix. Before more could be said, he was ripping what he recognized as Gajeels coat away from the flushed neck, and seeing the flushed scratches, lunged down to sink his fangs into the raised welts he saw there. He could hear the snarls echoing behind him, hearing the dragon within Gajeel roaring at the sight of an unmated male biting his mate.

Sucking all the poison he could into his mouth, Cobra staggered back for a moment to allow his lacrima to create the antidote, fighting the urge to scrape his tongue clean of the shit tasting poison that was now coating it. Instead he lifted a hand to wipe his mouth, and after a few moments, bent down to sink his fangs once more into Bix's neck, pumping the antidote into him before turning and biting both wrists as well, encouraging the medicine to be pumped through his body faster.

Stepping back again, panting slightly, Cobra narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened closely, hearing the soul mages heart start to slow, his breath even out, but...there was something else...he was having a hard time pinpointing it, but there was something in Bix that wasn't natural and shouldn't be there.

Turning around, he faced the sight of Gajeel in dragon force mode with Levy wrapped securely in his arms, with no fear on his face. Don't get him wrong, mentally he was pissing himself cause holy fuck was Gajeel a scary looking fucker ready to kill someone for messing with his mate, and Cobra figured he owed little blue a meal of her choice, or even one of the books she was craving for not letting him be attacked by this Gajeel, but it had needed to be done.

He could see the tears pooling in her eyes that she was fighting to keep under control, and his eyes could pick out the slight tremors that were racing over her even as Gajeels growls echoed through the room.

"He's not out of the woods yet, there's something, like a seed or whatever, keeping Bix sick. We need to find whoever the hell put those scratches- who the hell is Madame?" Cobra sneered, catching the flash of memory from Gajeel.

"A bitch who tried to lay her mark on MY MATE!" Gajeeel growled, his arms tightening around Levy, trying to gain some comfort and calm from her.

"What the hell was dripping for her nails?" Cobra snapped, mind racing as he started putting pieces together from the flashes he was getting from Gajeel together.

"Poison. She'd been drugging him too, for I don't know how long, she tried to attack me, and I could smell the poison." Gajeel growled, tensing as he followed Cobra's train of thought.

"Levy, call Lily, he's at the guild, get him to come and stay with you and Bix, Gajeel and I have a poison bitch to hunt." Cobra stated with a feral grin.

"As soon as Lily was talking to Levy the two slayers took off from the house and headed toward the district where the seedy club was. Gajeel was honestly impressed when Cobr slid to a stop and waved impatiently at him to double back, pointing in another direction and sure enough, when he reached the other slayer there was that off smell he'd caught on Bix.

His blood was boiling, rage making it difficult for him to think straight, the desire to hurt things was running high in him and the faint smell of poison and Bickslows blood on Cobra wasn't helping him but he had no choice but to deal with it.

They ran straight to the train station and Cobra eyed the other slayer warily ans he paced and snarled.

"You hang man, you're in no shape to talk to people…" He said firmly and Gajeel nodded at him. Gods, pretty sad when Cobra was the best man to go interact with the public he mussed as he approached the ticket booth.

Pulling the memory of the woman from Gajeel he described her and the elderly man behind the glass nodded. "Hargeon, train left about 10 minutes ago, next one will be along in about 30 minutes." He replied.

Cobra cursed under his breath, thanked the man and looked around, a 40 minute head start into a big city like Hargeon that had a very active nightlife meant they weren't likely to track the bitch down, unless they could beat her there….

He ran past the station a short distance and 5 minutes later Gajeel leveled a glare on him as he pulled up driving an SE-Car.

"The fuck are you doing with that?" He demanded.

"Just get in, she got on the train to Hargeon, means she doesn't live in Magnolia, just makes the two hour jaunt from Hargeon or, she had business in Hargeon or some shit, either way she'd got a lead on us and the next train isn't for another half hour." Cobra replied.

Gajeel frowned and yanked open the door, dropping into the passenger seat. "Drive" He snarled and Cobra pressed the pedal down spinning the cars tires.

The road to Hargeon honestly would take as long as the Train, which was why most people took the train, well…if you drove like a normal person anyway. With two dragonslayers driving…they beat the train into Hargeon by a few minutes, watching it come in as they weaved toward the station, finally abandoning the car, leaving it locked up by the road and electing to run because the crowds of people were making it almost impossible to get through.

Gajeel was worked into a near blind rage at this point, he fucking hated trains, hated SE-cars, and his mate, who he had drug his damn ass telling the truth to for some ungodly dumb ass reason he really couldn't figure out, was laying poisoned with his other mate who was scared out of her mind over the whole situation and ultimately, the responsibility was his.

If he'd moved faster, told Bickslow sooner instead of waiting more than a fucking month after he'd told the shrimp, he could have spared Bickslow this.

It was his fault. He was going to find out what the woman had done and fix it so he could get back on track, then no more wasting time thinking and waiting for stupid bullshit reasons that made no sense. He was claiming both their asses, setting his mark into them and they would get on with their fucking lives, they could talk afterward, work details out afterward.

Indulging things like Levys endless tidal waves of doubts and thinking he would do another time AFTER the mating mark was set and dark in both of their fucking necks.

They reached the station and Gajeel damn near came unhinged, if not for Cobra, he might have just plowed right through the crowds of people leaving the train that made it near impossible to search or even fucking move of the train platform.

Cobra though was focused, and honing in, the scent was distinct, this little poison mage was a foul little bitch who liked mind control toxins and succubi drugs. There was no way of knowing why she was down here in Hargeon, but, and he pointed this out to Gajeel, they should maybe find out in case they had to track her down again.

"She's not living to be tracked again Cobra, don't fuck with me…you saw what she did to my fucking mate." Gajeel snarled, crimson eyes scanning carefully.

"Yeah, and you want her dead I'm the last person in the world who would stop you, far as I'm concerned, one less dark mage bitch, the better, but info is always a good thing to have, you never know when you might need it." He pointed out.

"Antidote for whatever she did to Bix first, then I'll think about letting her sustain a pulse." Gajeel replied and Cobra shrugged, figuring that was the best he could hope to get he caught whiff of the toxin and spun, slapping Gajeels arm as he did, honing in he spotted her, the little bitch wasn't alone though, she had company, 4 other people with her and as one reached to grab her bag from her his shirt lifted and on his side was a guild mark that made Cobras blood run cold.

"What?" Gajeel demanded.

"Nightmare, she's with Nightmare mages….fuck…we can't face them here, they'll take human shields, kill innocent people without a second thought, we have to tail em until they wont be able to pull in easy shields or distractions…" He said, eyeing Gajeel carefully.

The Iron Slayer growled but nodded and grabbed Cobra, yanking him suddenly with him right out of the crowds into the shadows.

Beyond a creepy un-nerving experience being drug along through shadows but it was the best thing he decided, finally relaxing in Gajeels hold as they tailed the poison woman and her cronies for a long ways, and as Cobra was beginning to wonder how Gajeels patience was holding up the other slayer ripped them from the shadows, depositing Cobra on his feet and fading again, a moment later one of the men walking along was literally sucked right down into the ground but only partially before he saw the shadow dragging him angle and a metal lance shot up, through another of the men and hit a light post so it flashed its light right over the shadow severing it and…cutting the man in half, his bottom half lost to the shadow that had just been banished by the flash of light while Gajeel stepped out from behind the lamp post and Cobra, shaking his head because the man sure as hell hadn't wasted time cutting through some of the odds, lunged in and ripped another man off his feet, sinking his claws into the mans flesh and smiling faintly when he shrieked in agony as Cobra pumped his own special mix of toxins through his claws.

He knew this was Gajeels fight, knew Gajeel needed it, so he hovered, making sure his target was all the way down.

Gajeel squared off with the last two, a tall orange haired man and the bitch who hurt his mate. He noted Cobra had polished off the other one and appreciated the man wasn't stepping in, was hanging back, letting him have this because he so badly needed violence right then.

The man jerked a hand up and Gajeel felt the shift and snarled, gravity magic, gritting his teeth he shifted his own magic and started toward the man, he could re-enforce his own skeletal structure, gravity mages were some he rarely struggled with.

"You! What are you doing here!? Don't angle that fucking field toward us you moron.." She snapped at the mage beside her.

"Oh I don't fucking care why you're here, have a fucking drink!" She snarled then and held out her hand, from her fingertips a viscous yellow fluid flowed in swift streams at him and Gajeel knew better than to chance it hitting him.

His scales coated him as he ducked to the side and watched the fluid hit the cobblestone and start chewing through it, hit the metal light post he'd thrown down and ate right through that too.

The gravity mage tried to get a shot on him but he suddenly stiffened, back arching and eyes rolling back in his head as bloody foam spilled out of his mouth over gaping lips.

Cobra stood about 20 feet back lowering his hand from which he'd just shot a poisoned fang attack.

Gajeels warning look and the Poison Slayer held up his hands making it clear he'd do no more

"Just leveling the field man…Stinky Bitch is all yours." He smirked.

The woman glared toward him and shot something at him, Cobra held out his hand and blocked it and her eyes widened as it ate away the cuff of his shirt but he just licked it off his skin smirking.

"Nasty stinky shit poison you got there Hoebag." He sneered, walking to a bench and sitting nonchalantly down in it.

"I do not stink!" She snarled but had no more time for Cobra, she jerked her head to the side as Gajeel swung at her and the fight was on.. Unlike her companions, the "Madame" was fast, agile and while it did reek, her poisons were potent and she could ignite some of them with a lighter she held, making them hot enough…to melt steel…possibly. Gajeel was taking some care avoiding those, he wasn't certain.

He was impatient, he had two unclaimed mates at home, his dragon was just seething inside of him too make this woman pay for what she had done, find out how to undo it and get back to those mates, see Bix well and CLAIM THEM.

Gods he should have done it a while ago.

"Black Steel…you could go far in our guild, word has it you've gone soft recently, normally we'd kill a mage for killing some of ours, but these fools were lesser ranked…no great loss they were only here to carry my luggage anyway." She hissed and he knew she was tiring, she'd been at the club for God knew how long having Gods knew how much sex and such, she had to be worn down already going into this and was breathing hard, bruising showing on an arm Gajeel had grazed with a pole attack she hadn't been fast enough to dodge completely.

"Oh Fuck off, what did you do to my mate?!" Gajeel snarled.

The woman laughed "Oh gods, is that it? You're upset about the sexy mage from the club you tried to take? Bad move darling, you snatched him away too early, I dropped a toxic seed into him, laced with blood magic, little gift from my boss, and if I don't feed my pet his suppressant elixir that seed will open and spill a blood toxin into him that will kill him in minutes…he may be dead already, he was due for the elixir hours ago. I was even planning on removing it, it gives me extras mind control sway over who I drop it into and he'd been just delicious fun…"

Gajeel growled, the deadly rumble making Cobra take a step back unconsciously but not the poison mage, she was delighted by Gajeels response.

"Oh that bothers you little lizard boy? I used the hell out of that sexy body, made sure lots of others did too, he wasn't even conscious for a lot of it, some mate you are, letting a tasty morsel like that run around all miserable and easy to influence, you should thank me, you know he cried sometimes? When the drugs went a bit heavy because I was too drunk to measure them right, he'd cry for Gajeel, for Levy while I fucked his damn brains out and bled him for all he was worth!" She hissed and shot another stream at Gajeel, igniting it.

Gajeel roared, charging past it and finally catching her with the pole, her heard bone snap as it hit her hip and carried her back into the brick wall behind her and in an instant he had her poison tipped hands bolted to the partially caved in wall and was wrenching her head back making her scream out in pain.

"How do I get it out of him?!" He demanded.

"Don't…kill me…purification spell…will make him throw it up, but if you don't beat the seed opening…nothing, nothing can save him…" She rasped, blood running from her mouth.

Gajeel saw Cobra already on the com lacrima talking to someone, a moment later he looked up "Wendy is almost at the house, Laxus is getting her there, she can cast that spell." He said firmly.

Gajeel nodded glaring back at the woman whos heart was slowing, internal bleeding was taking her.

"Fuck…fuck you…Nightmare will find you…" She hissed before her eyes rolled back in her head.

Gajeel sneered, turning away from her and going to Cobra, someone was holding the lacrima, probably Lily, Levy was on the floor where he'd left her holding Bix and Laxus was setting Wendy down.

The young woman rushed to Bix and they could see right over the lacrima screen as her hands lit and the spells pulsed over Bickslow.

"Get a can or something for him to be sick in!" Wendy called and Laxus handed over the nearby trash can as Bickslow sat up already heaving. A few moments later he lay back into Levys arms again and Wendy looked at the lacrima smiling.

"It's ok, it's in tact, it didn't open!" She cried.

Gajeel let the breath he'd been holding flow out of him "We'll be back in a couple hours…Thanks Wendy, Laxus…" He said.

"Yeah no problem, Was bored anyway, nothing like getting told my best friends fucking dying and I have to get Wendy to your fucking Cabin as fast as possible to save him…fucking lightning rod." Laxus huffed. He glared down at Bix then "Fucking Bix."

"I aim to entertain…" Bix rasped from the floor.


	11. Chapter 10

A/N Ok folks, so this chapter has your first taste of lemony goodness, the first of much to come in future chapters, if you're not into m/m either leave now, or well, take your chances. The only warning I will give is that there will be other m/m pairings throughout this story as well. Once again, the wonderful Desna helped bring this chapter together, and we hope you enjoy. Please remember to read and review, it helps push us to keep regular updates!

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When Gajeel returned there was some discussion briefly about what they should do. His cabin hadn't been built with three adults and an exceed in mind, he'd built in when he'd been alone, before Lily had even come into the picture and while it was comfortable for him and Lily, even with just Levy there it had felt a little cramped.

"Just go to Bickslows, fuck the house has 5 bedrooms 4 baths a massive study with 12 foot bookshelves -LEVY- that Freed fucking saturated in silencing runes, a huge kitchen, den, shit we spent a year renovating that place and Bix will be more comfortable, you'll be close to the markets, closer to the guild and have all the space you could possibly need, I mean this is nice, but so Wendy can get to you easier every day to make sure the shit clears his system right…" Laxus trailed off.

Bickslow was now passed out laying haphazardly on the couch, his tall frame taking up the whole thing and then some. Gajeel couldn't argue, even he didn't fit laying down on the couch, he hadn't bought the fucking thing to sleep on.

Besides that, Levys eyes lit up like a damn Christmas tree when Laxus mentioned that study.

"Ok, I'll get him over there, we'll pack up some things…" He started and Laxus raised a brow at him.

"Let us help huh? Bix has been my closest friend since he was 15 and I was 16. I fucking get I'm an unmated male slayer but Bix is my damn friend. You and Levy pack your shit, Wendy and I will stay and when you're ready, I'll take Lily and your bags to Bix's house and Wendy can walk with you over there so she can help you get him settled in right." The Lightning Slayer offered, but it was just barely an offer and more a demand, he wasn't surprised by any of this, he'd known Bix too long, seen what had been developing and had been trying relentlessly to get Bickslow to talk to him about it, he'd sure as hell get after him later for all this, but right now, he meant to assure his friends comfort and safety.

Gajeel didn't like it, he caught the push and his dragon wasn't in any mood to be ordered around by an unmated male, however, Laxus had a point, a few of them, and while he may have hated them, he was right.

Gajeel wanted to provide for his mates, and he fucking would, but Bickslow owned a huge home in an upscale quiet neighborhood right on the edge of the market district. Gajeel knew it, he'd been there a couple of times when working on jobs with the Raijinshuu. Gods when Levy saw it was less than a block from one of her favorite bookstores…

"Fine, good idea…thanks." He added the last grudgingly, and only because Lily was giving him that…look. So he and Levy packed up their things while Lily packed his, looking entirely too happy about everything too, and Laxus took the exceed and all the bags, the ground shuddering slightly when thunder cracked heralding his departure.

Wrapping Bickslow in a blanket Gajeel lifted the man, smiling faintly, he really was not a small guy and while Gajeel could bench damn near as much as Laxus, he felt the mans weight. Settling him against him, Bickslow instinctively pressing in closer head resting against Gajeels shoulder while he was carried.

Gajeel drew in a deep breath biting back a moan.

The man smelled incredible, even with the faint smell of the poison still hovering on him, Bickslows exotic spiced earthy scent still carried and Gajeel had to focus. Now was not the time for him dragon to be slamming around inside of him demanding he taste his mates flesh, but that was what the fucker was doing.

The walk to Bickslows was a test of Gajeels control, between Levy intermittently touching his arm and Bickslow, worry still prominent in her beautiful face, and Bicsklow squirming a little so his nose pressed into Gajeels neck and his warm breath wafted over his skin the two were lucky he didn't just stop in the middle of the street and fuck them both senseless in the middle of the street. Gods knew his dragon wanted to, Bicsklow would survive it, he'd be careful.

But he didn't, and was relieved when they climbed the stone steps, Levy almost beaming looking around as they had reached the beautiful brownstone.

"Wallace Books is not even a block from here! Wessermans Bakery is right over there! This is closer to the guild than Fairy Hills too!" She was saying brightly. Gajeel didn't roll his eyes, he physically prevented himself from doing so because Levy would have noticed.

Instead he carried Bickslow through the door Laxus was already holding open for them and following Lily through the house, leaving Levy gaping just inside the door looking around wide eyed.

Laxus smiled faintly, stepping aside so Gajeel and Wendy could see Bickslow down the hall off the livingroom to the master bedroom.

"I'll show you around since Bickslow can't. We all pitched in and bought this place not long after we became the Thunder Legion." Laxus told her.

"Got it for a steal because it was a wreck of a place then, spent a year restoring it and we all lived here together for a while." Laxus said, leading her from the living room.

"Why is it Bickslows now?" She asked, eyes widening as they walked into the kitchen, the kitchen, dining area and living room were all open, vaulted ceilings going up over the living room a good 20 feet then dropping to ten feet over the kitchen and dining area allowing for track lighting and vents for the Kitchen and a gorgeous bay window for the dining area where a huge ebony wood table held 10 chairs.

The floors were also a rich dark wood, cabinets a beautiful cherry with white quartz counter tops and all stainless appliances, the stove was something a chef would have drooled over too.

"Well, Freed decided he really wanted his own place, and bought the house he's got over on Fairybrook, and Bickslow bought him out so he'd have a really good down payment, not even three months later Evergreen stumbled on the townhouse in the fashion district and couldn't pass up living steps from her favorite shops, he bought her out too. Following year Gramps decided to move closer to the guild and I bought the house in the woods just outside town from him and Bix bought me out too, so he just sort of…ended up with this place. He's always loved it from the moment we found it, worked his ass off on the renovations, we all did, but I admit Bix put in the most hours on the details." Laxus said smiling.

Then he grinned as they passed through the kitchen and he held his arm out so she could walk past him through a hallway to the back of the house "Except this room, this…was all Freed." Laxus said and Levy thought she'd died, really, and walked into heaven. 12 foot ceilings and three walls were nothing but bookshelves, only a couple were graced with books…for now… a large desk with a comfortable chair, a couch even Laxus could have stretched out on faced a large fireplace flanked by two overstuffed chairs, a fluffy cream colored rug on the floor before the fireplace that was framed by a gorgeous pale white stone hearth and dark wood mantle above which a decent sized lacrima screen hung. There was another bay window behind the desk looking out over a large back yard that had a padded seat built into it covered in pillows.

When she turned she was shaking her head, a small fridge was built into the left side of the desk. Laxus smirked "Freed practically lived in here, you see the rune work he did, it's always quiet in here, can't hear the rest of the house and the rest of the house can't hear what's happening in here." Laxus said.

Levy nodded, she could see herself working her translations at that desk, curling up in one of the huge overstuffed chairs and reading, or sitting in that bay window on a pretty day curled up with a book.

There was a gym in the basement, Laxus had taken some of the equipment with him when he had moved out but there was still a punching bag, heavily re-enforced by Freeds rune work, two treadmills, mats set up for sparring, a leg press and weight bench…Gods Gajeel would love it Levy thought.

Four bedrooms upstairs with three bathrooms, one of which was like a spa and Laxus told her Evergreen had designed that. It was off the Bedroom that looked out over the front of the house and shared the footprint of the bay window the dining area had, with its own bay window and balcony overlooking the street that she imagined saw plenty of foot traffic during the day being right off the market district like it was.

Downstairs there was another small work room she recognized was set up for Bickslows woodworking, with a work desk, tools, spare wood and partially completed projects on sturdy shelves.

Just a little further was the Master bedroom, where Wendy was talking with Gajeel quietly about when she would be there the following day to check on Bickslow.

"Get the tour shrimp?" He asked and Levy nodded. Lily looked up from where he was sitting on the foot of the bed, the bed was massive, with dark wood posts at each corner, even Bickslow looked a little small in it.

"I had this made, I'm a big guy and I like to stretch out. Master at my house wasn't big enough to accommodate it when I moved in and when I changed that I just had a new one made and let Bix keep this." Laxus said, tapping one of the sturdy posts.

"I like the room over the Study if nobody objects." Lily said with a yawn. It was very late, edging into early morning already and had been a long, difficult night.

"Yeah, well, come on Wendy, I'll take you home, if it's ok I'd like to come with her tomorrow to check on Bix, and Freed and Evergreen will probably want to come by, they were with me when Cobra called." Laxus said, stretching, tired himself.

"Yeah, that's fine. I need to thank that fucker." Gajeel said, smiling faintly when Levy moved to sit beside Bickslow and smooth his hair from his face.

"He slipped out once he saw Bix was out of the woods, count on him showing up tomorrow too though." Laxus smirked, following Wendy from the room. Gajeel heard them leave, locking the door behind themselves and Laxus had the courtesy not to wake the neighborhood with a teleport it seemed because there was no shudder or clap of thunder soon after.

"Take the room you like Lily….Levy and I will stay here with Bix." Gajeel said softly, Levy already slipping under the blankets to cuddle up against Bickslows side after kicking her shoes off.

Like it or not, this house was perfect for them, he had to admit it.

Levys breathing had already evened out she was asleep and he drew a breath, looking down at his mates, they were the center of him now, his foundation. Once he sealed the bond already forming swiftly between them his soul and theirs would be entwined. He wasn't sure about the process Bickslow might need, Levy had started research into that but had found very little.

Seith mages were still feared, still hated in many places and information on them and their magic had been almost purged, what was left was patchy at best, but whatever they had to do, they would do it.

He shed his shirt and boots, too tired to do more and too eager to get into that massive bed with his mates. He slid into the bed on the other side of Bickslow and almost groaned at how good it felt, the bed was perfect, not too firm or too soft and he smiled, so much space even with all three of them in it, Gods bless Laxus for being a hulking behemoth greedy for space.

The moment his skin came in contact with Bickslows he grit his teeth at the arousal that stirred hot and fierce in his own body. He just wanted to hold them both, curl around them and know they were ok.

His dragon seemed to accept that after a bit and he was allowed to do what he wanted, Bickslow making a soft sound and moving into his chest closer, Levy pressing in tighter against Bicsklow when he moved, both drawn into Gajeels arms even while asleep.

Smiling, he heaved a sigh as their combined scents enveloped him and he drifted off peacefully for the first time in months.

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It was Bickslow who stirred first, feeling groggy and like he'd drank way too much of something way too strong he was reluctant to wake up. He was warm, comfortable, felt enveloped in peace, safety, more than he'd ever felt he realized and he never woke this way. Usually the ache started as soon as his mind started coming around, his heart and soul hurting and voicing their pain as soon as they could be heard.

But he wasn't aching, he felt so good, groggy, physically achy, a little sick and like he really wanted a shower and some strong coffee but…

Scents came to him then, ink and flowers and sun warmed metal and it was heavy and delicious and made his whole being hum in pleasure as his senses started checking in.

He was laying on his side, pressed in tight against a warm, hard firm…body, and another was pressed against his back, there were slender arms around his waist and his head rested on another far thicker one, his nose pressed into warm skin and thick soft hair.

Decidedly two people and he knew without opening his eyes who they were. His heart just lit in his chest, his whole being warmed as memories flooded in, he was wedged snuggly between his soulmates, they knew…everything, shame flowed in with the elation but he wouldn't let it take this from him, no, not after he'd waited, suffered watching them find each other without him.

They had known, they had looked for him, needed him, wanted him…pulled him from the depths he'd fallen into. He could remember the feel of Levys lips on his, her arms around him now, her delicate body pressed against his back, and his hand lay on Gajeels chest, his bare chest, dear Gods he smelled so good, his black hair felt wonderful against Bickslows face.

He breathed it all in, opened his eyes and smiled, Gajeels strong profile relaxed in sleep wasn't something he minded waking up to at all, and Levys small hands, one on his belly the other, oh sweet Mavis help him the other on his thigh. He needed to clean off this…acrid scent, it had to be from the poison, and he felt he needed to just, scrub himself down, wash away all traces of the Madame.

He was hazy on what all had happened, had no idea how but knew he was in his own bed in his house because there was no way the three of them would have fit in Gajeels.

Gingerly he moved and felt Levys arms tighten but a moment later they relaxed. Ok Bixy, you've had years of training in gymnastics and acrobatics, you run Parkour three times a week, smirking he activated his magic and the babies sailed into the room from wherever they had been and he warned them mentally to keep quiet.

They were elated though, knowing what had happened, knowing who the two people he was wedged between were they were all sorts of excited. His stern warnings though reined them in.

 _You will NOT wake them up, we were all up late and you know why_ … he warned.

"Papa was so sick…it was scary." Pipis voice said sullenly.

 _I know but I'm ok, just help me up so I can get to the bathroom and clean up, get some coffee going_ …

He responded.

"The little kitty cat is doing that." Popo told him and he smiled, Lily was there too, made sense, wherever Gajeel went, Lily went.

His totem came to him though, and by carefully grasping Papa and hooking a leg over Popo he got himself up and out of the bed, Levy immediately snuggling into Gajeel seeking warmth with a few soft sounds that had Bickslow smiling.

His totems set him on the floor and he gripped the bedpost for a minute, being upright was making him dizzy. When it finally let up his little souls hovered close around him as he wobbled into the master bathroom and closed the door, heading into the shower and getting it going before he stripped out of his pants and boxers. He'd been stripped of everything else it seemed, not that he minded at all, they'd taken such gentle care of him.

The steaming water in his large shower made him groan, it felt amazing and he didn't miss as he had stripped down and tossed his dirty clothes in the hamper that there were two small bags in the bathroom that no doubt belonged to Levy and Gajeel.

The idea of their things being in his home just set of all new waves of contentment he certainly wasn't accustomed to. He knew there was a lot they needed to do, a lot they had to talk through and sort out, but they were…together, and whatever happened, that was all that mattered to him.

He gripped the wall of the shower as another wave of dizziness hit him and a soft growl made him turn his head too fast and he almost fell, wavering.

Gajeel stepped right into the shower and caught him, frowning at him. "You should have woke me up if you wanted a shower Bix, you're still dealing with the after effects of what that bitch did to you." He growled, not caring as water soaked down one side of his pants.

"I…I didn't want to wake you…you guys lost enough sleep because of me as it was." He replied quietly looking down. Gajeel caught his chin and made him look at him.

"Quit the shit Bix, whatever had to be done was done, Levy and I need you, you think after all we just went through either of us want you cracking you skull open falling in the shower? He turned making sure Bickslow was stable first and stripped off his clothes before joining Bix again, drawing a breath to steel his hold on his dragon as he did so and smirking slightly as Bix's eyes widened moving hungrily over his body.

 _That's right, my mate, I want my body to excite you_ …

As soon as he laid his hand on Bixs chest though his control staggered under the jolt of need that shot through him, it was obviously mutual too because Bickslow whimpered and leaned toward him. 'Stand up straight…" Gajeel snapped, narrowing his eyes and Bicsklow jerked, eyes that had darkened and become half lidded snapping open, a blush stealing over the handsome face.

Gajeel grabbed the bottle of body wash and started washing Bickslow down, it was a poor decision, his control had been straining and feeble for months, his need for his mates so powerful it was physically painful anymore and Bickslows body…lithe, toned, with tanned skin that sported elegant intricate tattoo work down his right side, wolves among the runes and symbols. The only thing that cooled his ardor were the bruises, the cuts, the marks that bitch had left on him with her nails.

"Turn around, face me." He ordered firmly, still beating himself up over the whole damn thing, sooner, he should have drug Bickslow right out of the fucking guild, not bothered to wait for the "right time" the right fucking time had never materialized and he and Levy had nearly lost Bickslow, he wasn't even sure what that would have done to them but he doubted they would have survived it.

Presented again with the handsome face, dark red eyes and those thick lashes, Bickslows hair wet and hanging over his forehead instead of sticking up in that damned mohawk of his Gajeel stilled in spite of himself, meeting eyes full of desperate need hunger he knew was all probably reflected in his own.

"Fuck.."He muttered, lunging in and seizing that mouth an arm wrapping around the slightly taller man, his body just burned as Bickslows came against it, and the kiss deepened instantly, tongues sliding against each other and holy Fuck Bickslows tongue…Gajeel could have spent days working that alone.

A soft sound made him pull back, Bickslow also turned hearing it and they both were looking at Levy.

Gajeel hadn't closed the door when he'd gone into the bathroom and waking finding herself alone in the massive bed she had heard the shower and her anxious peek into the room had turned into her walking in dazed watching Gajeel and Bickslow kissing passionately, both mens god-like bodies stark naked and wet with soap suds easing down both of them and she'd just been, lost, utterly consumed by a need to be with them.

Gajeel smirked and lifted a hand to beckon her. "Take your clothes off Kitten and come here, help me clean him up." He called smoothly and Levy felt her skin flush but she shed her clothes under those two sets of hungry crimson eyes, helpless to resist the pull of them and having no will to do so anyway.

Bickslows arm left Gajeels shoulders and pulled her into him and she sighed as steaming water washed over her.

The bathroom had been designed around Laxus' wishes for plenty of space, the river rock shower had four heads, including the rain bar over them and it felt divine, though nothing, nothing could compare to running her hands over the bare skin of the two men before her.

Hands moved carefully, they were all mindful of Bickslows still weak state, he wavered more than once, Gajeel having to support him to keep him from going to his knees though as they washed each others bodies he had no idea if the weakness was from his body struggling to free itself from what the Madame had done or the overwhelming desire, intensely heat laden touches and kisses he was getting and giving eagerly with his mates.

Somehow, Gajeel kept them steady, and was quick to wrap a towel around Levy and smack her ass to send her toward her bags in the bedroom to dress while he helped Bickslow dry off, slung a towel around his own waist and then Bickslows and ushered the man into the bedroom.

The initial shyness had been washed away in the shower, but Gajeels stern growls when Levy started kissing Bickslow again after handing him a t-shirt when he sat on the bed after he'd pulled on boxers and some sweat pants made her squeak and move from Bickslows loose hands on her hips.

Gajeel smiled faintly, heart swelling in his chest at the sight of the two smiling and blushing. Pulling on his own clothes "I smell Coffee, and it's almost 10am, Wendy and Laxus will probably be here soon and Gods know who all else." He said gruffly.

"Oh Gods…Coffee.." Bickslow moaned and Levy giggled, helping the Seith to his feet, Gajeel coming to his other side they made sure he made it from the bedroom to the kitchen and placed him at the table, Gajeel giving him a hard look when he started to object, wanting to look after himself.

Lily was sitting on the Kitchen island with a mug of Coffee smiling.

"You look better this morning Bickslow." He observed and Bix managed a smile, still a little put out Gajeel and Levy wouldn't let him get his own coffee.

Levy brought the pot, creamer and sugar though to the table while Gajeel brought over coffee mugs and they sat around Bickslow.

They had barely gotten their mugs filled when Laxus came through the front door, Wendy Freed and Evergreen in tow as well as a frowning Cobra.

Freed came to the table and set down several boxes that Levy was delighted to see Wessermans Bakery logo prominently on.

"We brought some breakfast, I know for a fact Bickslow has not been good about his shopping lately." Freed stated, going to the kitchen and bringing more mugs to the table while Evergreen pulled out a jar filled with foil wrapped tea bags after setting a pot on to boil on the stove.

The Raijinshuu knew every inch of this house and their familiarity showed.

Wendy ran her hand over Bickslows face then held it over his chest first then his back and Gajeel was grateful to watch the marks from the Madames nails on Bickslows neck fade and vanish while Wendy worked.

Once done she gratefully took a mug from Evergreen and took a seat beside Freed to fix herself some tea, reaching over and snatching a pastry from one of the boxes.

"He should be fine, another good nights sleep and I'd say he could return to mission status in two days, nothing strenuous, no workout or running today though, just rest, you can do something light tomorrow and by the day after that, whatever you want." Wendy said brightly, giving Gajeel a knowing wink.

The gesture, even though he knew Wendy was 17 and had been through a couple of mating seasons now, still surprised him. She was growing up so very fast.

"Yeah well have you seen the home gym I put in yet Gajeel? I used the whole basement for it." Laxus said, refusing to get sucked into any conversation the trio would have preferred to keep private. They were just there to check on Bix, bring some food over knowing he hadn't been keeping his shit together the last month, then they would leave. He already felt the weight of Gajeels looks, knew the man more than wanted, he needed, privacy with his mates.

"No, didn't even know there was a basement." Gajeel admitted, rising when Laxus grinned and offered to show it to him.

Cobra stood too, smirking "Gotta see this, I've seen that mess you call a gym at your house." He snickered.

"Fuck off Snakeboy, that house is almost a hundred years old, I can't change that it isn't laid out for work out equipment!" Laxus growled.

Gajeel rolled his eyes "Move your fucking asses or I'll just wait until your gone to look." He snapped.

The team stayed for about an hour, long enough to eat and put away the bags of groceries they had brought, which, Lily was delighted to find, included a bag of kiwis.

When they left Lily and Levy put the bakery boxes on the island and Levy sat back down at the table at Gajeels look.

"Would you like me to go spend time at Wendys?" Lily offered. Gajeel smiled at his friend "Not yet, but tomorrow, if you don't mind Lil, for a couple of days."

Lily smiled "Not at all, Carla and Wendy and I were thinking of taking a job together." He said brightly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go try out that gym downstairs." He was grinning as he shifted into his battle form and headed to the stairs by the hallway.

Bickslow drew a breath, meeting Gajeels gaze, knowing the Dragon Slayer expected him to.

"I admit, I don't know what all we need to do as far as the soulmate part of this equation is concerned." Gajeel said "What do we need for that?" He asked.

Bickslow bit his lip "Intimacy…I've read about how Dragon Slayer mating works, lacing souls is similar in some ways…no domination or biting though…just joined bodies, I have to have eye contact the whole while…" He said, rubbing his hair and blushing faintly.

Levy was also nibbling her lip, imagining being wound in Bickslows arms, him inside of her, eyes locked with hers…imagining him with Gajeel…Oh Gods… she was so very much getting into some voyeurism.

"Dragon Slayer mating will take more out of us, I won't lie, I'm not likely to be gentle, not with as long as I've made my dragon wait. " He looked at Levy, who looked almost scared.

"No more waiting, no more thinking everything through, waiting brought us to this and I take responsibility for that, we should have pulled you in to talk a fucking month ago Bickslow." He growled and Levy bowed her head, she knew it was really her, her endless need to think the holy hell out of every tiny spec of a detail a hundred different ways before she was comfortable.

Gajeel had been indulging her, giving her time because she asked him to, she was having such a difficult time wrapping her head around being with two tall powerful men when she herself felt she was so very tiny and while her magic was strong she knew physically she wasn't even a shadow of the two men before her.

"Stop that." It was Bickslows voice and she looked up in surprise finding him and Gajeel both looking at her.

"You're the light to our dark Bookworm…I…I'm the one that went to that club…" He sighed.

"You were just trying to work through how alone you felt and it was me, thinking things to death, taking way too much time doing it that kept Gajeel from just dragging you to the house to go over it all, to confirm what we suspected. I held everything up." Levy blinked back tears, feeling very much that the two other parts of her heart were suffering now, struggling, one of them almost dying because of her.

"That's enough." Gajeel slammed his fist down on the table and both Levy and Bickslow sucked in sharp breaths.

"It's done, it's behind us. Shrimp, quit blaming yourself and putting yourself down, Bix, you too damn it, I'm not mating with anything short of two incredible, strong, people I damn well respect and neither of you were handed that, you both have fucking earned my respect. Today we rest, Tomorrow too, so just relax, both of you. Bix, show me how that huge ass lacrima screen in the livingroom works." Gajeel demanded.

Bix smiled. "Am I hearing a possible movie marathon forming?" He asked.

"Saw you have a fuck ton of movies…so yeah, I thought that would work." Gajeel smiled back and Levy bolted from her seat smiling and headed for the shelves under the lacrima screen in the livingroom.

"Dibs of picking the first movie!" She called.

"Hey! I'm the sick one!" Bix whined, Gajeel steadying him so he could get up without tipping over.

They settled on the large lounge, Lily joining them mid-way through the first movie and bringing drinks to the coffee table. The large fluffy blankets were pulled from the back of the lounge and the recliner beside it and Lily smiled, glancing down from where he sat on the back of the lounge. Gajeel resting against the armrest, one leg up against the back of the lounge, Bickslow laying between his legs using his chest as a pillow, Levy between Bickslows legs using him as a pillow.

They were quite the group…and the Exceed smiled, a family…

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Levy knew when she woke that the very air had seemed to change overnight.

Bickslow had been almost insufferably active and energetic his second day of "rest" so waking to movement, the sounds of muffled moans didn't entirely surprise her but her eyes flew wide and all traces of slumber fled her in a heartbeat at what greeted her.

Gajeel had Bickslow pinned, wrists held firmly on either side of his head as Gajeel devoured his mouth, the blankets had slid down the two men and lay across Gajeels thighs, his snug black boxer briefs hugging his firm ass the rest of him bare for her hungry eyes as he slid his body against Bickslows, ground his hips into the man beneath him, drawing low sounds of pleasure from the Seith that were muffled by their mouths pressing together.

For long delicious minutes all she could do was lay there and stare in wonder, watching Gajeels flanks hollow in while the muscles worked for his languid thrusts, corded muscle bunch and flex under smooth skin as both men moved against each other, Gajeels hair falling partially over his shoulder, hiding Bickslows face.

Bickslow had started the whole thing, he simply had more energy than he knew what to do with, happiness, the acceptance of his soulmates, had sunken in and he was eating and feeling better than he had in a long time. He'd gotten growled at and warned plenty of times the day before, and while he'd responded, instinctively always yielding to Gajeels warnings, his energy didn't lessen. Wendy had returned, blood she'd taken the day before revealed Bickslow was clean, in spite of all he'd been subjected to, no toxins or diseases or dangers remained in his system.

By that morning he'd woken up with a body on fire, Gajeel in the center of the bed, Levy on his right, Bickslow on his left and Bickslow hadn't been able to keep his itching fingers off the Dragon Slayer.

He knew today they would mate, Gajeel had promised they would, watched both he and Levy like a hawk all day the day before making sure they would be up to it. He should have waited, knew he should have, but the temptation to run his hands down that tall powerful body beside him had been too much, he'd wanted it for so long.

He'd freely admit had Levy been within his reach he likely would have awakened her too, just needing to touch her.

Gajeels eyes had snapped open within moments and fixed on Bickslows who was propped up on an elbow above the Dragon Slayer, a dominant position. He'd meant nothing like that, had just wanted to see more of Gajeels body as he'd eased the blankets out of his way.

The low growl had only momentarily preceded Bickslow being flipped onto his back and pressed down into the mattress by the Iron Dragon Slayer, barely able to utter so much as a squeak before his lips were crushed under Gajeels.

Now the Dragon Slayer was rocking into him, dragging what Bickslow knew from the shower the first morning to be one seriously large erection against his own, their thin clothes not much in the way of stopping the bone melting sensations it caused.

Levy made a soft noise and both men responded instantly, Gajeels head turning so fast his hair flew over his opposite shoulder and he released Bickslows wrist to reach for her, drag her close to them.

Of the three Levy was the only one without much in the way of experience, a mistake of judgement when she was in her teens meant she wasn't a virgin anymore but she'd done little sexually in her life, immersed so much in books and the vibrant worlds her mind could capture through them.

Gajeel shifted on the bed, lifting from Bickslow and fixing Levy under his ruby eyes, he curled a lip back and her eyes widened, seeing elongated fangs, much longer than they even normally were. He drew her up into his arms and she straddled his hips, wrapping her legs around him immediately.

"Kitten…" He breathed, pulling her nighty up over her head he looked past her as Bickslow moved behind her and nodded at the Seith. The two locked gazes for a moment and Levy felt herself eased back into Bickslows arms, Gajeel unwinding her legs from his waist, pulling her panties from her and tossing them aside before shedding his own last piece of clothing.

She was moved back to straddling him and a sure skilled hand slid up the inside of her thigh as she had her head tilted back so Bickslow could catch her lips with his, the Seiths hands closing over her breasts, palming them, long fingers working the sensitive peaks as she started to writhe.

It was almost too much, both of them at once, and Gajeels fingers started working between her folds, she moaned into Bickslows mouth, tongue tangling with the Seiths and dear Gods his tongue, he took her mouth thoroughly and her whole body was drowning in sensation between the attentions of both men.

Fingers invaded her body, pushed up into her tight center and she heard Gajeel growl, it wasn't a warning, almost a purr of satisfaction at the feel of her.

"So wet….oh Kitten…I'm going to make you mine…" He purred and she clung to Bicsklow, feeling him groan at the words even as she whimpered, feeling the fingers leave and the press of Gajeels impressive erection at her entrance. Instinctively she parted her legs farther inviting him, lifting her hips toward him hungrily.

"Ah! Please!...now!" Levy begged in a gasp when Bickslow let her up for air. Gajeel chuckled and rocked his hips forward, plunging into her tight heat and hissing through his teeth as he did. Levy mewled, not even aware of Gajeel reaching to Bickslow, pulling the man closer and wedging Levy between them until she opened her eyes and moaned watching them kiss right by her shoulder.

Then Bickslows lips dropped to her neck and Gajeels sealed over hers as the two men started rocking her between them.

She could feel Bickslows length rubbing against her lower back, Gajeel had gripped the mans hips and was using Bickslow to anchor Levy and between the two thrusting toward each other Gajeel was plunging so deep inside her it almost hurt.

Bickslows hands slid between Levy and Gajeel, one sliding right to the bundle of nerves at her center, the other massaging a sensitive breast and Levy wasn't able to think, was barely able to breathe anymore, every shuddering breath ended in a mewl, moan or whimper of pleasure, her hands tangled in Gajeels thick black hair as she was driven up and down his length between two powerful bodies.

Her end raced at her and as her breaths became shorter, more frantic Gajeel picked up his pace with a snarl. "Mine, you are..both…MINE!" that had both Levy and Bickslow reacting with overwhelmed whimpers.

When Levy came it was in conjunction with the feel of long fangs piercing her neck on the left while Bickslows mouth sucked at the over sensitive skin on the right and she screamed "Gajeel!..Oh Gods! Yours! I'm -AHH!" Levys screamed out. She felt the flood of magic, felt her own being drawn through her blood into the Dragon Slayer and almost blacked out as waves upon waves of pleasure consumed her mingling with the intense pain of the bonding.

Bickslows magic flared as it happened, and he watched in awe as Levys brilliant soul wound thoroughly with Gajeels, he was delighted to see his own reaching and being accepted by tendrils from both the others even as they consumed each other, still needing and wanting him.

A firm hand gripped his hair suddenly and he was yanked around, his lips crushed again by Gajeels. Levy was eased to the bed, twitching and panting while Gajeel moved suddenly over Bickslow again and the Seith was stunned that not only was Gajeel not winded, his member was as hard as ever, he'd heard the man growl out his release, felt that hard body go rigid and pump Levys body full of his seed, but it was as if it hadn't happened at all, the dragon slayer pressed him onto his back and moved over him greedily "You….you now….spread your legs…" He growled. Bickslow was already beyond riled up, still panting from all the contact and kissing with Levy, all the heated play before Levy had even awakened, he didn't even hesitate.

Gajeels firm hand gripped him and he groaned as that calloused grip started pumping his length. He'd run his palm over Levys wetness and that was what he was now spreading over Bickslows member, his own still dripping from the bluenettes body.

Gajeel slid over the Seith and slid his damp hand and fingers down, prodding at Bickslows opening.

It wasn't Bickslows first time, far from it, he'd been raised under Boscan traditions, spent his time with Sudehpah, had always enjoyed women and men about equally his whole life, something that suddenly made a great deal of sense considering his soulmates, he pressed up into the contact eagerly, so ready to be connected, bound to Gajeel he could barely stand the Slayer taking the time to be sure.

"Gods…please…make me yours…" He begged and felt Gajeels smile against his neck as warm lips trailed over the space where terrible claw marks had so recently been. Gajeel would lay his mark there, he'd decided, right over where that nightmare woman had tried to place hers.

"Anam…" Gajeel breathed and Bickslow groaned, too far gone to pleasure to wonder how Gajeel knew that name and had he asked, Gajeel couldn't have told him, it just came into his head, sung by his dragon as he pushed into Bickslows body.

"You're mine…Anam…" Gajeel growled as he started driving into the Seith.

Levy lay boneless near them, and Bickslows hand slammed to the bed as he sought purchase to meet Gajeels thrusts, he slid it over the cool sheets and Levy grasped it, moving closer, laying there feeling Gajeels magic coursing through her, the odd sensation at her neck as the mark was forming, watching the men she had fallen so hard for straining into each other.

Bickslow was lost in so much pleasure, so much joy, happiness, hearing Gajeel breathe out that name, growl it as he took him, this was all he had ever dreamed, so much better even, one hand gripped in Levys, the other gripping Gajeels ass as he pounded into his body so deep he felt things he'd never even experienced with the finest Sudehpah during his training as a youth.

Feeling the hot kisses burning over his throat, his throbbing erection pressed between their bodies, Gajeel skilled fingers driving him insane with lust until he felt the spine tingling herald of his end, and gasped.

"Gajeel!"

As he came he felt what Levy had, the long fangs piercing his skin, delving into his flesh, the searing burn of Dragon magic flowing into him as his own flowed into Gajeel through his blood.

He felt the movement of his own soul, felt Gajeels push into it, bringing Levys with it and the bond slamming open as the magic flowed between them.

More than ever in his life he belonged, felt it wrap around him securely as Levys hand tightened on his and Gajeel pressed a kiss to his lips, the taste of his own blood on Gajeels.

They were one, and once he'd laced their souls the connection between them would be beyond anything ever before it.

They lay near each other, touching, kissing, Gajeels low growls keeping them focused, Levy recovered first for obvious reasons and started kissing Gajeel. The Dragon Slayer, thoroughly sated but never one to deny his mates, saw Bickslows eyes and smirked. They managed a shower together but it degraded into Levy bent over, lips and hands wrapped around Gajeels cock while Bickslow slid into her from behind. The three couldn't stop either, tired as they started to get as the sun set, hours upon hours of relentless bone melting sex, it was driven by Dragon Lust that now coursed through all three of them equally and the long time waiting made it hard to sate the painful levels that need had reached.

Bickslow lit the fireplace in the large bedroom and they had a picnic on the bed that ended up on the floor in front of the fireplace and then all over all three of them, who would have thought barbeque sauce could have been that much fun?

The bath afterward in the huge tub was even more fun, the three of them laughing, dipping beneath the water intermittently to tease each other.

It wasn't until near dawn the next day Levy gasped out and Bickslow groaned, Gajeel snarling, Bickslow buried inside of Levy, Gajeel buried in Bickslow, the seiths arms burning from keeping his own and the Dragon Slayers weight off their small mate.

They curled up tightly around each other then, Gajeel dragging the comforter over them after recovering it from the floor, Gods only knew when it had ended up there.

Sleep finally forcing them to settle on the massive bed, lazy sated smiles on all of their faces.

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It had been a few days, Gajeels marks had darkened considerably on the sides of Bix's and Levys necks, and even now, as they sat around the kitchen table, eyes would catch, and and small smiles would be exchanged while cheeks flushed.

A few days before, when the mating had first been started, Lily had woken up to the sounds of snarls, whimpers, and moans and he didn't need much prompting to grab the bag he had packed for a couple of weeks and leave, heading to Wendy's, leaving the trio alone in the house.

Now, their bodies far more relaxed than ever, Bix was still fidgeting as he thought of what needed to happen next. He was feeling beyond energized, the mating had helped his soul that had been breaking, heal, and now he wanted to complete the bond, but wasn't sure how to approach the subject with them.

"Bix, just come out with it babe." Gajeel's voice broke into his thoughts. Blinking, Bix met Gajeels gaze and smirk across the table from him. Glancing towards Levy, he saw her watching him with her head tilted.

"You're anxious, and nervous, it's coming through loud and clear." Levy murmured, lifting her cup of coffee to her lips with a small smile. She still had a hard time wrapping her head around the bond that pulsed between the three of them, the love and affection, contentment, happiness that just flowed heavily around them. She knew the bond wasn't complete yet, but she had a hard time fathoming just how much stronger the bond would become when they took the last step with Bix's part.

Seeing Bix flush brightly, and fidget more, she could only smile more.

"Well um, seeing as how we took care of the dragon mating aspect of our bond..." Bix started, dropping his gaze, and feeling his face heat.

"Yes?" Gajeel encouraged, smirking, eyes heating as he let his gaze roam once more over Bix's body.

"I, uh, I'm feeling a lot better now, and I know we need to make an appearance at the guild soon. But I want to complete the bond before we do." Bix explained, shrugging slightly.

"What needs to be done for this part?" Levy asked, setting her cup down and turning her full attention on Bix.

"It's all centered around joining, so…I would need to well…" He frowned slightly, looking at Gajeel who rolled his eyes.

"Spit it out Bix, I'm not going to say "no" if that's what you're worried about. I don't give a damn what it involves, this is important." He said firmly.

Bickslow smiled then.

"Levy first…it's all about trusting me…joining body, then lacing the souls, because I'm doing it…I have to….top." He admitted and Gajeel sighed, that was the worry?

"Move it, bedroom, the guilds going to lose it's mind if we don't put in an appearance by tomorrow." He chuckled.

Bickslows mouth feel open at Gajeels easy acceptance. But he knew better than to question him, and scooped Levy up giggling and carried her over his shoulder back to the bedroom, tossing her onto the bed and following her onto it.

Her eyes were wide but eager and she was reaching for him as he moved over her. Gajeel climbed onto the bed with them but sat against the headboard to watch, feeling a mixture of curiosity, excitement, and anticipation vying for supremacy in him. He'd watched Bickslow and Levy a couple of times now and it didn't trigger jealousy, impatience, nothing but warmth, pleasure, they were his, he liked when they pleasured each other as much was when he was directly involved, which they had also done a lot of.

Bickslow settled between Levys thighs, propped up on his elbows as he slid into her body and Levy arched into him eagerly, the shared sensations provided by the Dragon Slayers bond made every aspect of physical pleasure more intense and Gajeel bit his lip because he felt it too.

"Keep your eyes on mine Levy, don't close them, don't look away, and don't be afraid." He soothed and she locked her eyes on his and watched in wonder as the concentric circles in his eyes lit, light began to move and brighten, building in intensity until she was bathed in the shimmering green light of Bickslows magic.

She had never felt anything like it before, his magic flowing into her and the only thing keeping her aware of her body was the steady movement of him in and out of her body, the gentle thrusts burning through her body as her legs wrapped tightly around his hips.

His eyes were close to hers, lips brushing hers, whispering for her not to look away and she felt weightless, like she could lose her body completely if not for the passion flowing through it from his movements between her legs.

It changed, at first confusing her, his body joined hers, moving steadily, and then there was more, deeper, stronger, all through her, every inch of her felt it, felt him, his presence, gentle, warm, loving. Strong, he was commanding then, guiding her very existence she felt it, the fabric of her being was in his control and she gave it, offered it willingly and without reservation, the dragon soul was laced here, and it was less accommodating, protective, but Bickslow was a part of it too, and it wouldn't retaliate, instead letting him handle it, letting him weave everything.

He was lost in concentration on his magic, rolling his hips automatically, the physical sensation kept everything grounded in the bodies during this, it was important, lest they just leave them.

None of this process could be forced, there was no taking or claiming in this, only sharing, acceptance, complete trust. He was awed at how easily Levy gave herself to him, she loved him and he was in awe.

As their souls laced at the deepest levels and settled into balance he eased hers back within her as he pulled his back within himself, feeling her consciousness almost crash into him, her thoughts, her dreams, her hopes, he saw them, knew them as surely as he knew his own.

Levy was overwhelmed by the whole thing, she was still reeling with it when something else stirred, intense sensation, more than before, her body about screamed with it. Her breath caught, her desire, pleasure, everything flew off the charts his passion suddenly flowing freely with hers and it was shattering. He moved faster.

He lifted one of her legs while pinning the opposite hip down and drove hard and fast into her and she couldn't even breathe through the intensity of it.

"Breathe Kitten….just breathe...fuck this is intense…" Gajeels voice helped.

"It's ok Levs, Gods you feel good, this is amazing…" She heard him, but he hadn't spoken and that made Levys eyes widen. She lasted seconds after that, screaming out her release and dragging Bickslow over the edge with her.

"Oh. My. God." She thought and heard Bickslow chuckle.

"You heard me?" She asked out loud and Bickslow nodded beside her where he had rolled to catch his breath.

"I can, and you can hear me." He said in her head and she grinned.

Gajeel growled, he knew something had happened, had felt it. Bicsklow turned to him. Chewing at his lower lips, feeling Gajeel hovering over him before he even opened his eyes.

"You better have enough energy left." Gajeel smirked and Bickslow grinned "I do if you're ready?"

"I was ready in the fucking kitchen, now wreck me like you just did Kitten." He growled and laid back.

Bickslows heart raced in his chest, he knew this wasn't likely to happen again any time soon, Gajeel was indulging his needs for him to make this soul mating happen. Unlike with Levy though, he worked the Iron Dragons body over first, sliding down and wrapping his lips around Gajeels already throbbing erection and earning himself a delicious purr. Gods he loved that sound.

He was careful, prodding at Gajeels entrance and delighted to find him not resistant, a product of the bond they shared, the Iron slayer trusted him, and relaxed into his touch and Bickslow settled between Gajeels legs, easing himself into the slayer with care, watching lips curl back from glistening white fangs but no indication of anything but pleasure.

Once settled he smiled, kissing his mate eagerly, struggling with his excitement and lust, he knew this dragon wouldn't lay down for him again, possibly ever, and he was fine with that, but right now, he could savor this, the intensity of a sub on top of their Dominant…thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

"Open your eyes, keep them on mine, don't look away…." He instructed softly and Gajeel complied, and like Levy soon felt himself floating, weightless, and understanding of the mechanics of this suddenly dawned. Without Bickslow controlling the movement, it might stop, because he really was out of his body then.

In him the dragon soul was massive, Bicsklow had seen it plenty of times, but now he was handling it, and it, unlike Gajeel, was not gentle or overly indulgent, however, it recognized its mate, and while it hovered, and Bickslow had to struggle to remain focused, to do his task carefully and thoroughly, lacing Gajeels soul, and the dragon soul with his own completely, it did not interfere.

Minutes later he picked up his pace but Gajeel broke it, flipping him over and grasping his hips, "You don't need to finish inside me, but I sure as fuck need to be in you right now…" The Slayer growled and when he thrust into Bickslows body the Seith cried out, the intensity of the new soul bond made it mind blowing.

Each thrust shared by both of them and Gajeel cursed under his breath, pounding into the Seith and letting out a ragged snarl of his name when he came, Bickslow coming at the same time, spilling onto the sheets from his hands to his knees and both men collapsed panting.

"Holy fucking shit that's intense as fuck!" Gajeels thought came and Bickslow and Levy both chuckled.

"So heard that." Levys smug voice in Gajeels head made him gasp.

"Yep, oh man this is going to be fun to learn to use…" Bickslow added.

Gajeel grinned…Hell yeah this was going to be fun to master…


	12. Chapter 11

Ok, so, biggest apologies EVER for taking so long to update! As you can see, this is a HUGE chapter, just over 24,5k words, lots of things happen, and...well...yea, hopefully the length of this will make up for how long it took, and uh...well...grab the box of tissues, and hold onto your chairs...*quickly hides*

* * *

The feeling of soft fingers dancing across her arms, up over her shoulders, to lightly tug on her hair drew Levy from her slumber with a drowsy yawn, and full body stretch. The moan she heard from one side, and satisfied purr on the other had her smirking even as a flash of a fresh morning romp across the large bed changed the moan into a gasp, and the purr into a growl.

Oh she could definitely get used to this link.

'We saw that.' Bixs' teasing tone sounded lightly in her head, even as he pressed closer to her right side, head bending down to nuzzle into her neck.

'You were meant to.' She retorted, rolling her eyes.

'Careful shrimp, you're playing with fire.' Gajeels purr teased along her senses, a hand trailing over her stomach as he bent to lightly nibble along the curve of her left shoulder.

Feeling a smile curve her lips, she had the feeling that from the outside she probably looked like the proverbial cat who ate the canary...or in her case who ate the dragon and the prince...hmmm just thinking of that had her remembering the almost endless romps they went through while mating. She had definitely gotten a taste for her men, and was addicted. Even now, just thinking of starting the day that way had her shifting so a hip pressed firmly against the hard length she felt along her leg, and a hand trailing down to lightly tug at the waist band of the boxers of her other bed partner.

'Perhaps going to bed sans ANY clothing should be made a requirement, unless out on jobs.' She mused, tracing a light path over the heat that twitched against her palm. She felt teeth close on one shoulder, and a growl vibrate against her neck as hot hands gripped her hips, pulling her tightly against the long body behind her.

'I second that opinion.' Bix agreed, his lecherous mental grin coming across loud and clear.

'You both are making having to get out of this bed difficult.' Gajeel huffed, dropping his head to Levy's

shoulder, gritting his teeth against the feeling of her hip pushing against him.

Releasing a sigh, and pouting slightly, Levy turned her head just enough to look over her shoulder, finding a bright red gleaming eye staring back at her. She fought hard not laugh when said eye closed, and Gajeel buried his face in her hair. The pout was loud and clear coming from him, and she had to bite her lip hard in response.

"We have to go to the guild today, you said it yourself yesterday Gaj." Bickslow spoke up, easing into a sitting position and running a hand through his hair.

"Yea yea yea, doesn't mean I hafta like it." Gajeel huffed, his voice muffled, arms tightening around the small blue haired woman in his arms.

Smiling at them, Bix draped his arms over his drawn up knees. It had already become a habit for them.

Every night when it was time for bed, they took turns when it came to sleeping in the middle. The first couple of nights in the house it had understandably been Bix, because he had been sick. And he was sure that if or when another of them came down sick, or injured, they would end up in the middle for the needed amount of time. But since then, they had been taking turns in the middle, ending up with arms and legs tangled together.

Cocking an eyebrow, Bix reached out a foot to nudge at them, smirking when that drew half-hearted growl from them both.

"Come on guys, unless you WANT the guild showing up on the doorstep?" He nudged at them again. His question though finally got a reaction, with a pout from Levy, and a bared fang from Gajeel, they rolled from the bed, doing their own stretches. The comlink going off on the nightstand though drew their attention, and Levy was quick to pick it up.

"Hey blue, how're things going?" Was heard, and smiles were exchanged as Levy glanced up at them before turning her attention back to the comlink.

"Things are going well Laxus, what's up?" Levy asked, settling back against the headboard, and quickly joined by her men as they settled on either side of her, moving into view for Laxus. The sigh of relief and answering grin had them smiling as well. Then he noticed the dark marks on Levy and Bixs' necks and his jaw dropped.

"Fucking finally! I thought I was going to have to zap some sense into the three of you before you got around to mating!" Laxus exclaimed, leaning back with a bark of laughter.

"Yea yea yea spark plug, get to the point." Gajeel grouched, rolling his eyes.

"Please tell me that you three are making it to the guild today? We've been able to keep them at bay, stating that you've all been sick, but no one knows about the mating part yet. Not even Mira."

"Wait, who all knows then?" Bix asked, leaning to rest his chin on Levy's shoulder.

"Cobra, Freed, Evergreen, Lily obviously, Wendy and I, but no one else I don't think."

"Mira might have an inkling to me and Levy, but not Bix." Gajeel stated.

"So how many people do you think we're going to give heart attacks to?" Levy asked, looking up at Gajeel.

"Well...Mira's going to faint dead away, and gramps is going to fucking love this." Laxus mused, tapping his chin with long fingers.

"Ok, on a scale of one to ten, how many bags of popcorn do you think this will get?" Bix laughed.

"Oh easily eleven. So when are you going to head over?" Laxus asked?

"We need to shower, then get something to eat." Levy stated after exchanging quick glances with her mates.

"Eat at the guild, it'll be my treat for the entertainment factor alone."

"You're already there aren't ya boss man?" Bix asked with a chuckle.

"No shit sherlock, I've been waiting to see this happen for a while now, I want front row seats." Laxus scoffed, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair. From what they could now see, it was obvious he was in his guild office.

"Alright alright, give us an hour to shower, then we'll be there."

"Half an hour, you can take a shower together and save on time, just don't get distracted." Laxus stated, narrowing his eyes on his last word. He couldn't help but facepalm when the trio on the other end of the call all rolled their eyes at the same time. Shaking his head he just knew they were going to be more trouble than usual. Levy usually wasn't, she was the quiet bookworm, but the two she had become attached to? That was sure to cause some problems.

"Oi! Sparkplug! Keep an eye on Erza so she doesn't kill us!" Gajeel demanded before ending the call.

Rolling from the bed, Bix, Levy, and Gajeel were quick to make it through their showers, keeping their touches quick, but lightly teasing, mentally promising that they always had tonight when they got home.

Thankfully it wasn't too much longer before they were clean, dressed, and heading to the guild that they were close to. Along the way Bix knelt down in front of Levy with his signature tongue waving grin, and looking over his shoulder at her, happiness bright ins his eyes, he couldn't resist.

"Your steed awaits m'lady!" He exclaimed. He was without his visor, Gajeel and Levy both nipping the bud of him possibly hiding behind it first thing. Giggling madly, she was quick to hop up on his back, her arms and legs wrapping around him securely, his hands gripping the outsides of her legs to keep her balanced even as she rested her chin on the shoulder closest to Gajeel.

"Hi'ho silver! Away!" Levy playfully called out, pointing towards the guild, and squeezing Bix's torso with her thighs. Smiling at them indulgently, Gajeel just trailed along behind as Bix trotted off, their mixed laughter ringing clearly in the air. Trailing behind them, he could see the other citizens of the city stopping and smiling themselves, at the site of two people so obviously happy with each other. It was refreshing, knowing that they weren't being looked at in fear, or caution.

Bix set Levy down as they reached the guild and Gajeel came up beside him, smirking as Bix and Levy hesitated the Dragon Slayer grabbed them both and propelled them through the door after he lifted a heavy boot and kicked it open.

The guild was as it usually was, active, a lot of members coming in for breakfast, to get ready for jobs etc.

Lucy was sitting at the bar chatting with Cana and Mira and all three women looked at them wide eyed.

Cobra was seated at a table just past the bar and smirked knowingly upon seeing them but as usual kept to himself, eye skimming the guild taking in reactions and snickering to himself.

Freed was squinting at them from the top of the stairs, and when he made out finally what was on Bickslows neck his eyes flew wide and he leaned over to whisper to Evergreen "The mark! Levy and Bickslow both have Dragon Slayer mating marks on their necks!" he pointed out and Evergreens eyes got huge.

"You're MATED?!" Erza bellowed from where she was sitting by Natsu and Lucy. Lucy was staring with her mouth hanging open, Natsu having just told her and Erza what he both smelled and saw that they didn't.

Gajeel snorted, smirking and planning to head to his usual table until Erza started toward them.

"Gajeel Redfox you took two mates?! TWO?! How could you put dear Levy in such a position?!" She snarled and Gajeel blanched while Laxus started laughing upstairs.

"It's fine Erza…really" Levy started but Bickslow was closer to the red head.

"Yeah Amazon the whole thing is…" He began but jerked back as Erzas sword came to his neck "YOU! You have always been somewhat depraved and a dreadful womanizer, that you're involved in this only makes it more clear it is truly a devious and nefarious circumstance Levy has had forced upon her!" Erza said.

Gajeel swatted her sword aside "Back off Amazon, don't you threaten either one of MY mates, yes the three of us are mated but I didn't force anyone to do a fucking thing, I won't let you hurt either of them while your on your fucking high horse preaching though so put that cheese slicer down or I'll eat the damn thing!" He snarled at her and before he could say another word Levy had jumped up on the table in front of Erza.

"Erza Scarlett how dare you! I'm a grown woman, Gajeel and Bickslow are my mates now and I wanted them! The entire thing is completely consensual so you put that sword away and stop threatening MY men!" Levy snapped pointing a finger right in Erzas startled face.

Everyone was silent, gaping in amazement at the script mage who was usually so quiet and sweet standing there bold as brass telling off Erza Scarlett and laying claim to not one but two of the guilds men.

Lucy couldn't believe what she was seeing. Natsu sat snickering at her side and Laxus could be heard about laughing himself silly upstairs while Erza stammered out an apology and Levy stepped from the table top into Bickslows arms, the Seith setting her on her feet at his side and for once having the sense not to push Erzas buttons further, just smirking and following his still seething little mate to the table to sit down across from Lucy.

She watched stunned as Levy didn't even seem to think to sit on her own and instead sat right in Gajeels lap once he'd sat next to Bickslow.

"Le…Levy congratulations!" Lucy managed.

"Thanks Lu, I…well…I promise I was as surprised as everybody else when I found out we were mates…but…" She glanced at Gajeel then Bickslow and blushed a little, it still amazed her they were…hers, both of them.

"I'm happy…I guess…it's a little unorthodox…" she admitted. Lucy waved a hand "Hey as long as you're happy Levy! So…I sort of know little bits but…" she prompted and Levy and Bickslow started filling her in then.

She watched as the trio interacted while Levy told most of it, Bickslow adding bits here and there, Gajeel remaining mostly quiet, it stunned her.

She had always, somewhere, and she knew it wasn't a kind thought, but she'd always thought Levy would be single a lot longer than her, the bookish somewhat shy retiring woman just didn't take a lot of chances, didn't put herself out there. When she'd started getting closure to Gajeel everyone had thought that was wonderful but Levy hadn't just mated with Gajeel, she'd clearly mated with Bickslow too, both bore identical mating marks on their necks….

The whole idea was shocking but that Levy was part of it….

She was happy for her, Levy looked just…radiant, overjoyed, and Bickslow was wearing the first real grin she'd seen on him in well…months. Even Gajeel was smiling faintly, all three looked happy, content, and whenever their gazes met one of the others, warmth and real affection was obvious.

Lucy kept her smile bright, shoving aside the strange melancholy this whole thing was stirring in her, a weird feeling of…longing a dull ache inside her that something was…missing, something big and important and Levy had found it not once but twice.

"I'll go order us some breakfast, and make sure my laughing friend upstairs pays for it like he promised." Bickslow said then, rising and heading to the bar at Gajeels nod.

"Huge cinnamon latte for me Bix." Levy said.

"Yep and a tall black for Gaj, got it, pancakes good?"

Levy nodded enthusiastically and Bickslow grinned, resuming his walk to the bar.

Levy went back to talking about Dragons Slayer and Seith mage soul mates until Gajeel suddenly stiffened, and Levy and the Iron Slayer both jerked their heads around. Lucy looked up and saw Cana walking past Bickslow trailing her hand over the mans backside as she did. Bickslow frowned and swatted her hand away but that wasn't normal for him, usually he was fine with Canas teasing.

"Oh! What's going on Bixy baby? Maybe ready to try some rougher stuff? You know I'm free tonight…" she cooed.

"that…" Levy seethed and slid off Gajeels lap, crossing the guild so fast even Gajeel was left behind.

She yanked a fistful of Canas hair, wrenching the brunette backwards and tripping her so she fell to the ground with a startled screech.

"Cana Alberona you keep your hands OFF Bickslow!" Levy snarled. Cana gaped, eyes huge then they narrowed sharply as she rubbed her scalp where it was now sore from Levys serious yank on her hair.

"The fuck gives little blue? Why should I? Bix and I have had a few nice rolls in the sack and I don't seem to remember you ever mentioning any interest in him before!" She snapped back.

"Not that I could say much, you just move too fast, I've always liked Bickslow Cana, you just monopolized him and sort of put your brand on him, well…that brands been changed." She pointed to Bickslows mark then pulled her own hair back so Cana could see the identical one on her own skin.

Cana stared in confusion "What the fuck is that?" She demanded.

"MY mark, drunk, Levy and Bickslow are my mates now, the three of us are together, officially, So keep your hands to yourself in the future, only hands that touch his ass are Levies, or mine." Gajeel said in a low growl.

Cana stared for a moment blinking in disbelief.

"Wait…so…Levy had…BOTH of you?!" She demanded.

Gajeel nodded "We have each other, its rare but very real, so just back off drunk and keep your hands to your fucking self." The Iron Slayer snapped.

"Oh my GOD, a three way mating?! Oh the babies!" Miras high pitched reaction, followed by the thud as she hit the bar then the floor fainting out cold had Gajeel, Cobra, Natsu Sting and Rogue all flinching and upstairs the renewed guffaws of the Lightning slayer even faltered.

Cana held up her hands in surrender grinning at Levy wolfishly "Oh woman, you have all my respect now…two big serious hotties in your bed? Shit, even I have scored that female fantasy yet." She snorted and went to her usual table where a tankard was still waiting for her return.

After a morning of pancakes, too much coffee and explaining things about a half million times it felt like, Levy was done with their guild family and stalked over to the job board, yanked down a request and went to the table, slapping it down in front of Gajeel and Bickslow. Both men looked at it and blinked.

"Our first mission together?" She asked and Gajeel smiled, Bickslow glanced toward the upper level and stood "Yep, let me go tell the boss, what's the duration on that?" He asked.

"Six days tops, simple recovery job." Gajeel replied. Bickslow didn't question him, just nodded and headed for the stairs. Levy gave him a look and he smirked at her.

"Six days?" She tilted her head.

"It's just outside Akane Beach Shrimp, we'll finish the job and take some times down there, just the three of us." He smiled and she grinned, sliding back into his lap, pressing a soft kiss to his lips and he returned it.

Lucy bit her lip "Nat…Natsu, lets take a job huh? Go get Erza and I'll grab Gray, I…I need rent money ya know?" she prodded, desperate to escape the sweet display of affection in front of her and really unsure as to why.

Levy had been crazy about Gajeel for a while, Lucy had known that, she hadn't known about Bickslow but really, she should just be happy, her shy friend had found some serious happiness, had the clear and obvious affection of two good men. As Cana had pointed out, she was living what was a hefty fantasy for a lot of women.

Natsu grinned. "Sure Luce, I'll go grab a job and tell Erza, be back in a few." He agreed standing.

"No, Natsu, I'm heading home to pack, I want to leave as soon as possible so just bring everyone to my place and we'll leave from there ok?" She smiled, hoping it was enough to hide the disconcerting emotions that were playing through her.

A couple of tables away Cobra frowned over his coffee. Lucy soul had turned into a fucking train wreck in a hurry. It was bizarre and unlike her, the sounds coming from it. Usually she was little miss sunshine but right now she was…a mess.

He'd noticed her getting gradually withdrawn and unhappy around the edges, the odd melancholy making a sorrowful violin add its tone to the usually bright music that came from her but this was strange. She was all over the place, happy for the trio, yet at the same time, miserable because of her friends' happiness, which was very much not like Lucy, who was usually so selfless it was scary.

It didn't make any sense but she was already up, heading for where Gray was at the bar talking with the now coherent but still dreamy eyed Mira. Her focus shifting from the melancholy, the isolation, all things he could relate to, into job and work mode and she seemed to take comfort in that so he remained where he was, he wasn't close enough to anyone in the guild, except possibly Kinana, to try to talk to someone, see about them helping her or at least maybe keeping an eye on her.

Pressing his lips together he made a decision and stood, heading for the masters office, he'd seen Makarov come out to congratulate Gajeel and his mates, the old man knew Lucy. Cobra was making a real effort to try and make a place for himself in the guild, to help, reach out, as best he could and in his own way of course.

Approaching Lucy and asking her to share her feelings? Yeah not just no but fuck the ever loving fuck no, but he could tell Makarov blondie was going through some sort of sadness that wasn't like her and let the old man sort it out.

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The job was a great idea, and as they were tracking down the missing horses that had disappeared from the rental stable at Akane Beach Bikslow was enjoying himself. No nefarious things going on, just some frisky horses busting out of a paddock during a freak rain storm common in the spring along the coastline. He'd had an odd feeling, like there was something…off, dark hovering but was brushing it off as lingering bad feelings from the months preceding Gajeel pulling him out of the club.

He still had nightmares, all three of them did, Levy worst of all and now with the bond between them, hers would trigger Bix and Gajeel into fitful slumber, he or Gajeel would usually wake though and wake the other then they would get Levy up and ease her out of the grips of the nightmares that seemed to be stalking her.

It bothered him they couldn't figure it out, her dreams were typical, hard to understand, harder still to make sense of, they kept coming into flowers, involving gardens and such and it finally occurred to him. Instead of Akane Beach, they should take a trip to Archipelago, his father desperately wanted to meet Gajeel and Levy and they could spend a few days on the island Bickslow was linked to, Anam.

He waited until they had the horses back at the stable to say something but when Gajeel had asked him to book them a room at the resort in Akane Beach, he'd instead gotten them tickets aboard a Boscan airship leaving that night for Archipelago.

The chain of islands was a very popular tourist destination, an overnight flight by airship to reach the main island. He'd called his father and gotten the housekeepers at his own home on Anam to prepare the house there for a visit. He generally left the running of the island to his father, who handled the decisions concerning its day to day business, management of the people who called it home etc and he himself made the major decisions concerning trade decisions, imports, construction projects and such. He'd done well with it, Anam, like all of the islands of Archipelago thrived and its people were happy.

It was a beautiful place, with lush abundant gardens and a large park that was popular with tourists because of the sculptures and art festivals it hosted along with the weekly open air trade market every Saturday that islanders from all of Archipelago often attended either to buy sell or trade things amongst each other.

That had been his brother Zens idea, Zen who managed his own island from his training grounds, where he had been most of his life. Zens island thrived, Aingeal Realta had run smoothly since he'd taken over the decisions for it and its commerce centered around its distillery, which made a whiskey that was currently a gold label throughout Earthland, commanding 20K jewel a bottle.

He stiffened a moment thinking about Zen, he hadn't seen his older brother in more than 3 years now, not home when he had last come for his brief annual visits. The one of them all whose magic had been so dangerous he'd not been able to grow up with his family like the rest of them had. Forced to spend the majority of his time training, strengthening himself so one day he could come home for good.

Aingeal Whiskey was famous. Its creation had been Zens idea too, or at least breathing life into the little distillery that had provided whiskey and other spirits to the islands for more than 300 years had been his idea.

Zen had come up with the weekly open market in Anams large park to draw the island artisans and business people to the same place frequently enough they could keep their work united for the good of all the islands.

Farron rarely missed the market day, him or their Father were always there, and Bickslow figured it would be a perfect opportunity to introduce his mates to his family and show them his home all while giving them a very nice retreat from the craziness and unnerving scrutiny of the guild.

The horses were secured and payment received Gajeel turned and looked at him expectantly.

"So, I'm not taking us to Akane beach…I got reservations on the airship Palidace that's leaving Hargeon tonight…" He said and smiled at his two wide eyed confused mates. "I figured we'd take a vacation on the best beaches I know in Archipelago…introduce you two to my dad…my older brother…I mean, if that's ok…I can still change everything around to…Mmph!" He was knocked over, falling flat on his back with a little bluenette wrapped around him kissing him happily and Gajeel laughing looking down at the two.

"I have always wanted to go there! Bix! This is amazing!" Levy declared hugging him and kissing him again until Gajeel came and helped pull them to their feet. "So that's why you didn't have room info for me a few hours ago huh?" He quirked a studded brow at Bickslow who bit his lip and nodded.

"It's fine…I like the idea, better than Akane beach, maybe I can get a couple bottle of Aingeal Whiskey while we're there." He smirked and Bickslow grinned then "Pretty sure that could be arranged. Dad sends Laxus a case every year for his birthday."

Gajeel interest was piqued then and the two men started talking whiskey while Levy rolled her eyes and led the way from the stables to the train station to catch the train to Hargeon.

By morning the next day she was leaning on the railing of the airship they had spent the night on watching the beautiful main Island of Archipelago come closer as the ship descended toward the skyport.

The warm tropical air blew through her hair as she leaned back into Gajeels solid chest. They were over water now, high up enough in the sky that clouds were mere bits of mist around them, but low enough that the ocean could be seen clearly, and as she looked out over the horizon, she could see large forms leaping from the waves in graceful arches before disappearing in large splashes. Flashes of silver, blurs of blacks, and the occasional pulse of red danced among those forms, and Levy found herself leaning over the railing with delighted laughter, unintentionally driving her hips back in Gajeels, causing him to gnash his teeth together at the sensation.

Leaning on the railing next to them, his lips quirked in a knowing smirk, Bix was dressed casually in a thin v-neck long sleeve shirt, low riding jeans, and heavy boots, with one foot propped up on the bottom rung of the railing itself. The glare he received with the quiet snarl, and the sharp kick to the side of his leg was well worth the smile that was just glowing on Levy's face. They would both do anything to see it there all of the time, and were happy to know that taking this trip had been the right choice.

'Bix...what are those?' Levy asked through their link, not wanting to disturb the peace surrounding them as she continued to watch the forms jumping far below.

'Bosco whales that are native to this area. They tend to stick to the warmer waters in the area in comparison to the whales native to the coast of Fiore. Their colors actually help them blend in with the underwater life to avoid predators and hunters alike.' Bix explained, leaning over the railing himself to watch the majestic animal swim, jump, and dance through the waves.

'What about the red?' Gajeel asked, leaning forward over Levy, bracing one hand on the rail to her side while lifting a hand to play with the ends of Bix's hair as it fluttered in the wind.

'There are deep red coral reef forests that the whales can swim through, and unless they're moving, you won't even know that they're there. Up close, they're huge, and beautiful, majestic creatures.'

'Will we be able to see them at all?' Levy asked, turning her head just enough to appreciate Bix's profile.

'It might be possible. There are underwater tunnels that link the islands, that allow people to see out, but can't see in. It helps keep people safe, while still being able to see the underwater beauty.' Bix explained with a smile, pride loud and clear even mentally.

'Can we see those things while we're there?' Levy asked excitedly, not caring that she was getting an indulgent chuckle out of the both of them.

'Of course Angel.' Bix purred, leaning to press his shoulder into hers.

"Excuse me your highness?" A voice spoke up quietly, their desire to not interrupt obvious in their voice. Levy and Gajeel could not help but laugh at the mental groan Bix gave even as he let out a quiet sigh before turning to the young lady standing a polite few feet away from them.

The only reason the woman even knew who he was was because this was the families personal airship that acted as a regular airship when the entire family wasn't traveling. They had been lucky when the Palidace had been the airship available, because as soon as the captain had seen Bix, tickets had been handed over without question, or cost, and his chamber had been set up.

"Yes Margorie?" Bix asked.

"We'll be within clear sight of the islands in the next half hour. We have a separate smaller air bus available if you'd like to get ahead to meet your father." Marjorie offered with a small bow. Biting his lip, he looked over his shoulder at his mates, ignoring the gasp he heard from the captain as she saw his mating mark. Getting accepting nods from them, he turned back to her and smiled.

"That would be amazing, thank you Marjorie."

"Of course your highness, I'll let my second in command know that he's needed." She nodded with a brighter smile before hurrying off. Five minutes later, the three of them were breaking away from the larger ship, the smaller, more intimate air ship kicked in the speed, and everyone on board was smiling in excitement. Another ten minutes passed and a squeal of excitement could be heard from Levy as she pressed against the glass of the enclosed ship, her eyes gleaming as she saw the islands appear and become clearer by the second. Her eyes steadily widened, and her mouth dropped open as she saw just how large the islands were, and right at the heart of it all, she watched as the kingdoms castle sparkled high up on the main island.

Indulgent chuckles could be heard as Bix and Gajeel settled in on either side of her, lifting a hand to rest on each shoulder.

"You grew up here Bix?" Gajeel muttered, awe moving through him at the sight coming clearer to them.

"Why did you ever want to leave?" Levy asked, turning her head to look up at him.

"I had to. The pull to do so was too strong, and I had a couple of people to look for." Bix answered with a small shrug and knowing smirk as he looked at them from the corner of his eye. Seeing them both flush brightly had him smiling fully as he turned back to the view. They were almost to the islands now, and before too much longer, the course changed and the small ship went a little higher before doing a large circuit around the outer islands, giving Levy and Gajeel a view from the air of the different islands. Immediately they could see how each island was bustling, and different in their own ways.

As they passed each island, Bixlow identified them, knowing they'd want to know for future use.

"My siblings and I are each tied to an island, there's a family book in the main castle that our names are added to when we become part of the family, and the book identifies the type of magic we have or will have, and identifies which island we'll be attached to. That one there is Emzadi's island," Bix explained, nodding as they passed an island covered in plants of varying reds, oranges, and yellows. "Greine, which translates to Solar, Island. She's a solar dragon slayer, so it fits. Each islands name in some way identifies the siblings power. That one there is Aigne, or telepathy, island, which Kaleb runs. That one is a fairly quiet, peaceful island, great for those who are sensitive to sounds."

Shifting slightly, Bix pointed out the next island, covered in what appeared to be shadows, but on closer inspection, it was a sea of darker flowers. "My younger brother, Vander, is a shadowquip mage, extremely rare, essentially lost magic, and that is his island that he helps run, Scath Island. They deal in darker stones, materials, etc. Then there's Gealai Island, for Cristoff, who is a lunar dragon slayer, Leighis Island for Xally, the water mage of the family."

"What about that one there?" Levy asked, pointing to the island they were coming up to, covered in a flood of colorful plants.

"That's Aingeal Realta, my older brother, Zen's island. He, uh, he doesn't live with us. He had to go away a long time ago." Bix hedged carefully, taking deep breaths, and keeping the knowledge of his brother locked away behind the one wall that he still kept erect around them. "We don't talk about him often, as it's fairly painful." Bix admitted quietly. Taking the hint, Levy and Gajeel let that subject drop, their attention shifting to the next island. Seeing it himself, Bix was quick to smile.

"And that one...is Anam Island, which translates to soul." He could see the rivers of blue, splashes of vivid orange, and shadowing black. Turning back to his mates, he couldn't help but tilt his head at Levy's furrowed brow, not yet acknowledging Gajeel's shocked look. "Everything alright Lev?" He asked softly, sliding an arm around her more securely.

Humming slightly, she nodded but kept silent, even in her head, eyes wandering over the island as she fought not to think about the dreams that had been haunting her, the same ones that would wake the men beside her, only for them to wake her up in return.

Leaving it be for now, Bix turned to his other mate, confused to the surprised look on his face. "What about you babe? What's the matter?"

"Uh...Bix...do those flowers grow everywhere?" Gajeel asked, leaning forward to brace a hand on the window, narrowing his eyes as he looked over the ocean of blue, orange, and black while they passed over the island directly.

"No, they're native just to this island, and to get them delivered outside of the kingdom costs an arm and a leg, as well as the aid of a special plant mage to make sure the flowers survive the trip. And if you want a potted plant of any of the flowers? Good luck, it takes a special environment for them to thrive." Bix said immediately, shaking his head. "Why do you ask?"

Gulping hard against the ball of nerves in his stomach and throat, Gajeel reached into the hidden inside pocket of the duster he wore, and biting his lip, pulled out the carefully wrapped bundle. Taking a breath, he held it out to Bix, his eyes full of nerves as it was taken by the seith mage.

Without a word, Bix leaned against the railing between him and the glass, dropping his arm from around Levy as she shifted to watch what he was doing, and with furrowed brows, quickly pulled back the cloth from the items hidden within.

Seeing the items that looked as fresh as the day they had been picked, Bix felt his throat snap shut as his gaze shot up to met Gajeels' nervous filled one. There, nestled in a square of dark purple velvet, lay three blooms.

A few small bright blue flowers that Bix recognized as blooms from a hydrangea plant, a only partially opened black rose bud, and a small vibrant orange lily.

He knew these blooms, had grown up surrounded by them.

"W-where did you get these?" Bix whispered.

"Along a road, years ago, I came across a twisting bush that had these flowers, I picked these, then destroyed the plant before someone else could. This was when I was in Phantom Lord. Those flowers haven't changed since." Gajeel explained, tucking his hands into his pockets, and turning back to the viewing windows.

They were coming up on the largest island now, Archipelago itself with a beautifully designed, large castle on the top of a large plateau overlooking the other islands. Taking a deep breath, Bix folded the blooms back up carefully before wordlessly handing the bundle back. Gajeel took it, taking care to tuck it away and without another word between the three of them, they watched as the castle drew closer.

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"Bickslow!" A deep voice called out in delight, and as Bix darted forward, Gajeel and Levy hung back, watching as a tall, handsome in his own right, man, enveloped Bix in a strong hug, large hands slapping at Bix's back. They had just touched down on the skyport built onto the top of the castle, and Bix had been quick to dart off of the ship to greet the man standing at the edge of the landing.

"Dad! Mavis I missed you!" Bix crowed in delight, swaying back in forth, just soaking in the familiar feeling of a hug that had always brought him comfort. He could feel the solid thumps of his fathers hands on his back, and knew that this was the last piece he'd been needing to wash away the last of the fears from the last number of months.

'Bix...are you going to introduce us?' Levy asked through their link, her small hand sliding down to lace her fingers with Gajeels.

'Of course, just a moment love. He doesn't know yet.' Bix responded with a mental smirk at the visualizing of his mates facepalming dancing through his head.

'Wait, whadda mean he doesn't know yet?!' Gajeel growled, narrowing his eyes on the back of Bix's head.

'I wanted to surprise him. He's been worrying about me for years, so this will help him a lot.' Bix explained in a soothing manner. He didn't have to turn around to feel the burning gaze hitting the back of his head. Shifting his attention back to his father, Bix grinned.

"When you said you were going to be visiting, I wasn't expecting it to be so soon!" The man laughed, leaning back to clasp his son's shoulders, letting his gaze run over him, when movement behind him caught his attention further. Lifting an eyebrow, he shifted his gaze between the couple standing a number of feet behind Bix, and his son.

"Are you going to introduce me to the guests you brought?"

Smiling in delight, Bix nodded, turning to hold a hand out and beckon the others closer. Taking steadying breaths, Levy and Gajeel moved forward, a wide smile on Levy's face, and Gajeel's face set in his familiar scowl.

"Levy McGarden, Gajeel Redfox, I'd like to introduce my father, Arman Pradesh, King of the Archipelago islands. Dad, this is Levy and Gajeel."

"McGarden...McGarden...wait...Amelia and William McGarden? Were they your parents?" Arman asked, his gaze becoming razor sharp, all of his focus now on her. He nearly cringed when her gaze dropped and an air of sadness surrounded her.

"Yes they were...they were killed many years ago, before I was ten. Master Markarov of Fairy Tail took me in, supported me, since he knew them, and they worked with the guild." Levy explained softly, clasping her hands behind her back, lifting her gaze once more. She watched in confusion as he closed his eyes while taking a deep breath, pain crossing his face.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. They were great people." Arman said softly, with a small bow.

"You knew my parents?" Levy asked softly, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Indeed. They were amazing researchers who helped me with a great many things, including gathering the information for the castle library." Arman explained, tucking his hands into his pockets. "They were also dear friends of mine, and considered this their home. When you were much younger, they moved to Fiore, planning to gather more information to bring back, but I knew that I would likely not hear from them for years. As the time passed, I had thought they were just ultimately living their lives." Arman swallowed hard, closing his eyes against the stinging that threatened tears. Feeling a small hand touch his arm, he opened his eyes once more to see Levy looking up at him with a small, understanding smile on her face.

"They're the reason I've always wanted to visit this place. Even after all of the years that have passed, I remember them talking about Archipelago with fondness." Levy explained, and before anything else could be said, she slipped her arms around him in a comforting hug.

"Thank you for that. I'll be more than happy to share all the memories I have with them if you'd like." Arman answered, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'd like that very much." Levy agreed with a content sigh.

"But what brings you here now? Not that I'm not happy with company, but it's not often that Bix comes with guests other than his team." Arman asked, stepping back, his gaze moving between the three mages. At this point even Gajeel smirked as Bix and Levy smiled, each off them shifting to stand next to each other.

"I thought you'd like to know...Gajeel and Levy...well...they're my soulmates Dad. And we're his mates. Gajeel is the iron dragon slayer, raised by Metalicana." Bix explained, lifting a hand to bring down the neck of the shirt he had changed into on the small air ship. Copying him, Levy lifted a hand to brush her own locks away from her neck, showing off the matching dragon mating mark even as Gajeel crossed his arms, and smirked further.

Armans eyes widened a moment and he leaned closer to Bickslow, then grinned. "Fantastic! You found them! And Levy is…." He shook his head incredulously "William and Amelias Levy is one of your soulmates! I…I never in a million years would have guessed at that being a possibility but how wonderful! And Gajeel! I never met or saw Matalicana but we had two dragons living here for several years and I'm familiar…a little too much so to be honest, with Dragons and their family ties and ways, two of…well…three of Bickslows siblings are Dragon Slayers, all raised by dragons that spent time on the islands. Nurem still comes occasionally, she stays atop Stargazer peak on Gealai Island." Arman was saying brightly, leading them from the landing pad toward an elevator.

Bickslow frowned slightly.

"Three? Dad?" Three dragon slayers? Only Cristoff and Emzadi knew Dragon Slayer magic, had been raised by dragons….

Arman met his gaze and drew a breath.

"Your older brother Bickslow, he had to be taught it while they were working to stabilize his magic…So come this way! I'm sure you'd love to get settled into your chambers and we can of course catch up over dinner tonight, I'm sure you'd like to get out and explore a little before then!" He offered with a grin, dropping the subject and leaving Bickslows mind scrambling.

"Bix? You ok Babe?" Gajeels voice touched him and he managed to catch up with his mates and his father before the elevator door closed.

"Yeah…just…I didn't know that…my older brother…we all struggled a lot over the years…I'll tell you both about it but just…not yet…"

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It was just as beautiful as her dream. Nearly hidden paths were dappled in sunlight that spilled through tree branches and leaves, flowers were in full bloom, and seemed to become more vibrant, fuller, as she passed them with Gajeel and Bix walking in front of her.

They had been in Archipelago for a number of days now, visiting with Arman, and even Kaleb, that had certainly been an interesting meeting. Never had she expected to be swept into a spinning hug from the White Sea guild master, deep laughter echoing in her ears. It hadn't taken long to be informed that for a short time they had grown up together before Levy's family had moved away. To say that Kaleb was ecstatic that she was back, AND a part of the family, was a massive understatment.

But now they were finally exploring Anam Island, and Bix was leading them to his favorite park, that crested a large hill that over looked the rest of the island. It wasn't long before Bix had said something that had Gajeel swiping at him, and they were racing ahead of her.

She could only watch with a wide smile.

She was content, and felt at such peace.

They had already come so far, much further than she had ever expected them to, and now she loved, and was loved, passionately. She could hear them laughing ahead of her, further up the path, past a break in the trees, and as she drew closer, she could only pause as a feeling of unease slithered through her as she took the first step into the clearing.

There, near the middle of the large clearing, stood her two handsome mates, leaning on each other and laughing, exchanging playful insults. They stood near a large stream fed pond, surrounded by an explosion of hydrangea, lily, and rose blooms.

So much like her dream.

Shivering slightly, from a slight chill, in spite of being drenched in bright sunlight, Levy stepped forward, breaking a small branch under her foot, drawing her mens attention as they turned and grinned at her.

And that was when she felt it.

Something that didn't feel right wrapped around her legs, and even as she was sharply pulled into the shadows, she could see the shock, fear, and anguish on Bix and Gajeels faces, hear their screams in her ears, and in her head, before she felt nothing more.

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Gajeel was moving fast, senses flaring to their keenest as the Dragon inside him raged forth. He'd seen something slither up, shadowy, and Levy had just been yanked down into the ground, vanishing in a second.

"The Fuck was that?!" Gajeel yelled over at Bickslow who was racing alongside him to get across the clearing.

"I don't know, we don't have anything dangerous on the island! Nothing that does that!" He shouted back breathlessly. When they reached the spot there was nothing, the ground was firm, solid, nothing even disturbed, nothing but the faint hint of Levys scent still lingering in the air to even indicate she had ever been there at all.

Gajeel rammed a fist into the ground where she had gone and Bickslow had his babies shooting out searching already, mentally screaming in his head for Levy and sinking to his knees when nothing, no response came from her, he couldn't feel her, no trace of her, it was like she had ceased to exist at all, her end of the bond was just…empty.

He put his hand to the ground, he'd been taught this when he was a child, the island was bound to him, the whole island of Anam was his, part of him and he pushed magic into the ground and felt it pulse back to him, felt the island itself shifting around dark magic it wanted no part of, invaders, dark, evil, had come here.

"Dark mages, dark magic…" He rasped out, eyes glowing through his closed eyelids. "KALEB…DAD" He sent the call through the Island itself, knowing they would hear him, they always had when they were growing up, it didn't matter where they went among the islands they could find each other, reach each other through the Islands they were bound to.

"On our way, Bickslow…what happened? Dad and I are coming to you…" Kalebs voice rang in his head as strong and clear as if he were standing beside him.

"Levy, something took Levy…dark magic!" He responded the panic high in his response.

"Dark…fuck…stay there we're on our way." Kaleb responded.

Arman was already lifting the small airship off the landing pad as Kaleb settled beside him. They had still been visiting with each other when Bixlows' call had nearly knocked them out of their chairs, and without hesitation they had bolted for the air ship still on top of the castle. Kaleb flipped out his com again, the keen eyes of one of his mages sharp on him.

"Yes master?"

"Mobilize, a dark magic user has just kidnapped my brothers mate on Anam, find them, hunt them down." Kaleb said darkly and Beck, the beast master mage who had answered nodded.

"They won't leave the island, Master Kaleb."

Kaleb was there establishing a branch of the Boscan Guild White Sea on his own island of Aigne, it made good sense to do it. White Sea had grown substantially since Kaleb had taken over the guild from the former master and for the first time in the guilds history they were expanding outside of Bosco.

The Archipelago branch would give the guild a huge centralized location right in the center of the trade routes to and from the main parts of Earthland and the outlaying peninsula nations like Fiore. Plus it would allow Kaleb to implement expansion of the guild that needed to happen to accommodate it's growing membership.

The Guild hall had just been finished a month ago and already he had close to 70 mages taking up residence, eager to be able to start working in other countries while based in the tropical paradise of Archipelago.

Why any Dark mage would risk coming here now, with White Sea present…it made no sense at all, Dark Guilds never stepped onto White Seas radar if they could avoid it. The guild specialized in hunting them, was known for it, Kaleb had teams of mages that did nothing else but hunt down and destroy dark mages. Two of those teams were currently here, including his personal team, the top in the entire guild.

The small ship landed in the clearing and Bickslow stood, eyes haggard with worry and pain, enough to get both Kaleb and Arman seething before they even reached him.

Kaleb slid his hand into the soil where Gajeel had scarred it and found the pulse line of dark magic Bickslow had found. Anam wasn't his, but Kaleb was a knight, and Immaculate light hunted darkness like nothing else.

"I can't…feel her…" Bickslow's words were heard, gritting through his teeth. His trembling could be visibly seen even as Gajeel held onto him. Pulled into his thick arms the Seith glared at the spot where Levy had vanished. He could feel Gajeel was as shaken as he was, but was bearing it.

They searched, the mages from Aigne quickly coming to Anam and alerts were sent throughout the islands swiftly, no ships, of any kind allowed to move anywhere within less than 30 minutes of Levys disappearance, even boats offshore were frozen in place, not allowed to move, ordered to drop anchor and wait.

It wasn't until a few hours later, the time crawling, when Kaleb had a young mage with long blue hair rush up to him.

"Master Kaleb…they used a teleportation spell, we found the jump point, Gaza and your brother are working to find it's landing point now." Bickslow and Gajeel who had been sitting against the airship while Arman was organizing bringing in fishing ships one by one to search them, jolted to their feet, worry pulsing off of them on waves.

Hearing this Kaleb waved to the two men who ran to his side. "Take us there." He said to the young mage who bowed her head, spread her hands and in the next moment they were standing on a narrow path overlooking the back side of Anam where a narrow low opening admitted them into a small cave.

Gajeel growled low, he could smell Levys scent and Bickslow reached down, picking up a familiar yellow headband from the ground. Blood was still damp on one side of it and Gajeels eyes clouded as he scented it. "Levys blood…" He growled. Strong arms were quick to catch him as his knees buckled. His lungs and throat were burning as he fought not to let out the fury and anguish filled roar that was building in him. He knew if he let it out, the cave would likely collapse.

"Bix?" Bickslow turned, arms full of a shaking dragon slayer, and met calm midnight colored eyes as a familiar figure came to the mouth of the cave.

"Cris…" He breathed shakily. Normally he would have been thrilled, overjoyed to see his brother, but right now…

"We're trying to find the other end of the teleport they used." He said, pointing to where Gaza was scrying.

Bickslow nodded, reaching out again along his link to Levy and again finding nothing there, just emptiness. His eyes closed in pain, the weight in his arms increasing as they both fell to their knees. A keening sound escaped them, echoing against cave walls, drifting out over the rest of the kingdom, the entire island hearing, and shivering at the heartbreaking sound.

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Levy opened her eyes slowly, trying to blink through the haze over her eyes and almost jerking when she felt a rough hand massaging her thigh, it wasn't a familiar hand either.

"She set up?" Someone asked.

"Yeah, she's bleeding ok, set it up soon as she got here but you know the boss, he only likes pretty boys, not pretty girls." Another voice snickered.

"I like both myself, but she's got barely any chest so she's practically a boy anyway." The first voice snorted and there was course laughter.

"Shut it you shits, half of fucking Archipelago is mobilized looking for her right now, we don't have a lot of time. You want to play with her fine, maybe she'll bleed faster." Someone else said, grumbling about wanting to get the fuck out of the area as fast as possible.

"Didn't even know fucking White Sea was building a branch here, you know their fucking master is here with his damn guild hunting team? They took out Blue Jester a month ago, the whole fucking guild, 60 some mages just the 5 of them…we need to get the fuck out of here." He added.

"Calm down Quince, they ain't gonna find this cave easy, there's hundreds of these underwater things all around the islands and the boss put plenty of wards and shit up to protect this spot just so we could do this." The man close to her, who was touching her was now grasping her hips and she could tell she was shackled, arms bound to something and her feet didn't reach the ground.

"Think I'll have myself a go…get her blood pumping ya know?" He chuckled and Levy reached for her magic but found herself cut off from it, the manacles….

She gasped when her dress was ripped away and the man grabbed her chin.

"Oh you're awake huh? Good, I like hearing my women moan while I fuck em…" He snorted and Levy kicked at him, thrashed, gasping as she felt something long inside her arm move slightly, burn inside her.

"Easy Jes, bleeding is good but you fuck up that draw and I'll kick your nuts up into your fucking throat myself." She saw the man sitting on the table nearby, the slender black haired one holding her, then two more, one standing by the one holding her, another sitting in a chair leaning against a stone wall, they were in a cave of some sort, black water pooling and rippling about a dozen feet away the only thing she saw other than smooth rock walls and low flickering torches letting oily smoke waft up and snake along the ceiling.

The second man came up and helped the first rip away the rest of her clothes and Levy struggled but they were just too much for her.

"Let me go! You have no idea who's coming for you…what they'll do if you touch me…" She snarled.

"Little bitch, we already touched you, hell Ross over there slid that big ass needle up your arm so we could take some of that blood of yours. I been squeezing those tiny tits of yours for an hour or so, fingered ya too. Now though? We got about all we need from you, might as well have some fun before we leave you here." The one holding her grinned and Levy lunged forward, headbutting him and he staggered back, clutching a bleeding nose while the other men howled with laughter.

"Fuckin Ruger, you can't even rape a tiny woman without getting your ass kicked!" Quince was laughing from the table.

Ruger came back on her fast and a fist collided with her face, her head hitting the rock behind her so hard she saw stars and tasted blood bursting into her mouth.

"Stupid whore! Oh I was gonna give it to you nice but I'm not now…" He snarled and reached up, ripping the needle out and Levy screamed as it tore free, blood pouring down her side then.

"Fuck! Ruger! There better be enough you ass!" Quince snarled, coming over and collecting a jar that had been on the shelf by Levy slowly being filled with her blood.

He screwed a cap over it and stowed it in a bag while Ruger flipped Levy around, ignoring her screams of pain as her arms were twisted in the shackles. He pulled her back and she shrieked as she felt his fingers ram right into her ass.

"I'll fuck your little ass in half you little Fairy cunt." He snarled and Levy screamed "No! No! Stop!" As he roughly ground his thick fingers into her body.

He punched her again when she tried to kick back at him, right in her side and she felt bone give, felt the crack and shrieked in agony as he pulled her back, holding her hips while he dug his fingers into her again.

"Gotta loosen you up…tight as fuck…what, those big brutes of yours never fucked you up your ass huh? Pussies, I know they're fucking each other, maybe they don't like girlie ass huh? I don't care, I like em all." Ruger was sneering.

"Get on with it Ruger, I might want a piece before we go…" The other man was saying.

"Fuck her cunt, I'll take the back, we can share…" Ruger sneered and Levy thrashed weakly "No!" She gasped out eyes wide in horror as the other man started toward her.

Something in her snapped then, she reached out desperately and hitting magic barriers had to revert back inward, and when she did it rumbled up.

As the second man was squeezing her breasts she lunged forward and sank suddenly long fangs into his shoulder making him scream out in shocked pain. Somehow she was able to buck her body, in spite of her injuries and blood loss and threw Ruger back, the man again clutching his face as the back of her head caught his jaw.

"Fuck! Get her off me!" The second man was screaming as Levy shook her head, setting the fangs deeper, making them shred his flesh, ignoring the blood starting to cover her.

"Shit!" Quince and Ross jumped up and started wailing on her, punches and kicks hitting her from all directions until finally, a blow to the side of her head robbed her of the last shred of her consciousness.

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"Got it….hold on…Cris, Bix, Gaj and Master Kaleb…" Gaza eyed them and the men rushed to her. A moment later and Gazas lock on the other end of the teleport snapped into place and she linked it, in the blink of an eye they went from the crisp fresh tropical air of the cliff behind Anam to a dimly lit, smoke choked cave that reeked of blood and sex.

Gajeel and Bickslow both rushed forward with strangled sounds coming out of them. Hanging from the wall soaked in blood was a naked, bruised and badly injured Levy.

"CRIS!" Bickslow screamed, hearing his brother curse behind him and rush to his side. Gajeel snarled at the man even as he ripped the shackles off Levys arms and she slumped down into his chest, his arms closing around her protectively.

"You have to let me at her…Gajeel…I'm a healer! Let me see her!" Cristoff shouted and Gajeel looked at him with eyes glowing with fury but he loosened his hold, letting Cristoff get hands bathed in silver light onto Levys bleeding arm where a long rip had it laid open almost to the bone, like something had been stabbed up into her arm and ripped out.

"Fuck…Ok, Hold her, keep her head above her heart ok? Lets get her on that table…" Cristoff was saying softly. Gajeel lifted Levy to the table and laid her on it, his hand coming away from the back of her head covered in blood and Bickslow clenched his teeth, eyes flaring, her soul was dim…so terribly horribly dim…

"Cris…" He said quietly, pleading.

"I've got her Bix….I've got her…trust me….she's bad but I've handled worse ok?" Cristoff responded, hands sliding over Levys battered body, Gajeel biting back another snarl as they drifted over her chest "Broken ribs big guy…I'm not touching anything that doesn't need me to I swear…healer…on her side ok?" Cristoff soothed.

Bickslow came behind Gajeel, wrapping his arms around the Dragon Slayer from behind, shaking, trying to comfort his mate and get comfort himself. Cristoff was one of the most powerful healers in Bosco, had pulled people back from death when they were not breathing and their hearts had stopped, he'd seen him do it, knew the lengths his brother would go to to save Levy, he'd drain every ounce of magic from all three of his origins if he had to.

It was sheer luck he was in Archipelago when this had happened, that they had a magical healer here at all was a miracle, that it was Cristoff…they couldn't have prayed for better and he knew it, but he still held onto Gajeel tightly, the Iron Slayers hand closing on his forearm, accepting his embrace, trying to give something back as they both could do little but watch Cristoff work.

"Shit…Kaleb…find the fucks that did this shit…" Cristoff growled, he looked up at Gajeel and Bickslow then, eyes pained. "Look…I'm not going to fuck around…she's been raped…and not nicely…I need to heal some sensitive areas and you need to let me…" He said firmly.

Gajeels eyes narrowed "Do it…Shrimps all that matters, heal her up, we'll deal with it." He said firmly, pulling Bickslow into his arms then, the mans hold on him had loosened and a whimper had escaped him at Cristoffs words.

Kaleb came over then, hand on Levys temple and Gajeel glared at him but Bickslow squeezed his hand.

"It's ok…he can look into her mind…see what happened to her…maybe see who did this to her…" Bickslow said shakily.

"Whatever I get…I'll share with you both if you want it…" Kaleb promised.

As soon as Cristoff said rape, Kaleb knew there would be traumatic memories, sharp painful ones, which were…easy to pull when still fresh in someones mind. He could help Levy too, he and Cristoff both were uniquely skilled in calming others.

As Cristoff healed the body, Kaleb searched her immediate memories, managing not to wince as the attack, her fight with the men came to him. "They knocked her out before they did the worst of it…" He said softly, looking up at Gajeel and Bickslow. "You'll be proud of her…she fought them, hurt a couple of them…you want to see it?" He asked.

Both men nodded resolutely and Kaleb reached out, gentle fingers touching temples and both men went rigid as Levys most immediate memories flooded into them through Kaleb.

"I know….I know Ruger…he was in Phantom….Oh that fuck….he's going to pay…" Gajeel snarled. His control was beginning to slip, iron scales appearing in ripples, then disappearing again, across his arms, hands, face, and neck. He could feel his teeth growing longer, and was fighting to keep his louder snarls at bay.

Cristoff looked up, removing the white and blue cloak from his shoulders and holding it out to Bickslow, who quickly stepped forward and wrapped Levy in it, letting Gajeel pick her up.

"She's healed, needs a few days rest for everything to settle, a good hot bath would be wise too, clean her up. I'll take you three to the Palace, to your old chambers right Bix?" Cristoff asked and Bickslow nodded silently, staring down at Levy, smoothing her hair from her face as Gajeel cradled her against his chest.

He felt Cristoffs hand gentle on his shoulder, saw him put the other on Gajeels, and closed his eyes against the flash of light that came when Cristoff shifted and they were teleported onto the balcony outside Bickslows chambers that he'd grown up in.

"Thanks Cris…" Bickslow said, giving his brother a thin smile.

"She'll be ok now…just clean her up, get her into bed and let her rest…I'll check on her in the morning ok?" He offered and Gajeel nodded to him before turning and carrying Levy through the door Bickslow opened.

Cristoff pressed his lips together, watching his brother and the Iron Slayer carry the small woman inside, his eyes hardened as soon as they were gone and he vanished, shifting to return to his older brother, to start hunting for the people who had done this.

Gajeel let Bickslow take Levy into the hot bath, and though her blood was all over his clothes and he knew he needed to clean up himself, he went to make some calls. He knew Ruger from his days in Phantom, would recognize the weedy bastard anywhere. He'd given Juvia troubles back then and Gajeel had beat him senseless over it. Ruger liked hurting women, it was something the man was known for, it wasn't surprising he'd ended up with Nightmare, and Gajeel had seen the guild symbols in Levys memory…there was no mistaking the jawless skull symbol of that guild.

He wasn't surprised, but he wanted revenge, serious revenge. Nightmare had now injured both of his mates, both in similar ways too, and he was going to make them pay, starting with Ruger…

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A short time later, after they had managed to get Levy cleaned up, and tucked into bed, a soft knock could be heard from the closed door. Exchanging cautious looks, Gajeel shifted closer to Levy, crouching over her, while Bix slid from his spot where he had sat on the edge of the bed next to her hip, quickly crossing the room to open the door carefully. Peeking out around the edge of it, he found his father and Kaleb standing there with worried frowns.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Bix stepped back to allow them into the room, feeling Gajeel stiffen then relax as he saw who entered.

"How's she doing?" Arman asked quietly, striding closer, pausing at a respected distance, noticing that Gajeel was working on instinct, and noticing the lifted lip he received. And because of this, whatever little bit of filter Gajeel would usually have, was shot to hell.

"She was fucking raped Arman! She was kidnapped right from in front of us, beaten damn near to death and fucking raped! How the fuck do you think she's doing?!" Gajeel snarled, eyes burning brightly, pupils slitted. From that alone, Arman knew that Gajeel's dragon was working on over time, and when Kaleb tried to start to say something, he held up a hand to stop him.

"He's reacting naturally Kaleb, you know this. I'm not taking anything he says right now personally. Honestly, I wouldn't expect anything less." Arman assured his son. "I came to give you some news. We found one of the dark mages, one with a torn up shoulder. He was found out in the waters, by a fisherman as he had been coming in to have his ship searched." Arman watched closely as Gajeel leapt from the bed with a snarl.

"Where is the fucker?!" Gajeel demanded, scales once more flickering across his skin.

"How did you find him?!" Bix demanded at the same time, fists clenching at his sides.

"Kalebs' beast mage, Beck, was able to tap into the animals in the ocean, and gain their help to find the mages. Apparently they were escaping on a boat, and fighting between themselves. The one bitten into ended up being shoved overboard, and the animals trapped him, circling him, not allowing for him to get anywhere. When the fisherman saw this happening, he called it in. The mage is now down in the cells, and we came to get you, knowing that you would want to see him first." Arman answered calmly, not letting himself react to the site of Gajeels control slipping.

Cracking his knuckles, a cruel smirk spread across Gajeels face, and Arman had to fight not to shudder. That was the look of someone who did not mind inflicting pain, or torture, when it was needed. It was the look of a dragon who's mate had been injured. The man deep below was a dead man, without question.

"You're not going to try and stop me are you? Because it won't work." Gajeel asked quietly, having watched the emotions chasing across the kings face.

"After what happened? No, not at all. Cristoff is already down there, having done the minimum healing needed to keep the man from dying. Apparently whatever Levy did was enough to cause the mage to start to slowly bleed out. He's keeping an eye on the man. Gaza will be here with Levy, as well as another trusted mage, to watch over her while the four of us will join Cristoff." Arman explained.

"While the three of you are not yet married, at the same time, you are mated, and having a number of dragon slayers as part of the royal family already helps. The mating is recognized in this kingdom, and for that reason, you and Levy are seen as a part of the royal family, a prince and princess in your own right now, being with Bix. That being said, in light of what has happened, the mage in the cells is seen as having attacked the royal family, and will be put to the death, one way or another. Being her mates, and a dragon slayer, you get first say in how that happens, even if it means it's delivered by your own hand." Arman continued.

While he had been explaining, Gaza had strode into the room, Beck close on her heels, but froze when a loud growl escaped from Gajeel, his eyes narrowing on the large man.

"Gajeel...please...he is one of my most trusted men, part of my personal team, he is the beast mage who found the mage down in the cells, and was able to have him brought in. He will not physically touch Levy, unless there is absolutely no other choice. That is why Gaza is here. She will help keep an eye on Levy while we take care of things. This is just for added protection ok?" Kaleb was quick to soothe, placing himself directly in Gajeels line of sight, between the two men.

Lifting a lip at that the two of them in a silent snarl, Gajeel spun and stalked out of the room, the others quick to follow as Gaza sat at the edge of the bed, leaning against the foot board, and Beck took a chair across the room.

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'Gaj? Babe? What are you going to do?' Bix asked silently, hurrying to keep up with the long strides of the man who was just ahead of him, his fury pumping off of him so much that anyone in the halls leading to their destinations were quick to get out of his way, trying to make themselves one with the shadows or walls.

'I'm going to kill that fucker, rip him limb from limb, give him a taste of what he did to Levy!' Gajeel mentally snarled, not noticing the many people of the castle getting out of his way, followed by the king and White Sea guild master.

By now, the news of what had happened had been spread all over the islands, all over the castle, everyone knew who the two newcomers were. And they also knew that to try and get in their way, was just as likely to be put through a wall, and for once, the usually protective king, wouldn't do much, if anything, to stop it from happening.

'Gajeel, while I completely agree with this plan, and will do everything I can to help make sure it happens, I need to have the first shot at him.' Bix stated firmly.

He prides himself in the fact that he didn't cower, or cringe under the glare he received when Gajeel whipped around, a loud snarl escaping him, clearing the hall of all other souls except for the four mages.

"What the FUCK do you mean you need first shot?! What the hell gives you that right?!" Gajeel roared, Arman and Kaleb wincing slightly as they heard the nearby windows rattle slightly. They partially expected Bix to back down in the fury that was aimed at him now, but Arman couldn't help the flash of pride he felt as Bix drew his shoulders back, and faced Gajeel head on.

"The fact that she's my mate too!" Bix roared right back, his hands forming fists at his sides. "I have just as much right at first shot as you do but fucking hell Gajeel, I can get answers from him! Cobra isn't fucking here, so we can't ask him to do it! He can't help us this time like he did with me! I need to fucking do this!" It was obvious to Gajeel that Bix was not going to back down from this, and after a tense few moments, he spun back around and continued down the hall, the others following quickly after him.

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The cells far below the castle, deep into its' belly, were cool, dim and damp, much like many prison cells were, but even then, these cells were kept up, kept clean when not inhabited. Having already memorized Cristoffs' scent from when he had been working on Levy, it hadn't taken long for Gajeel to follow the smell down to the lower levels of the castle, bypassing the many empty cells before turning a corner, and seeing Cristoff standing on the outside of cell bars, arms crossed, and eyes narrowed on whoever was locked inside the cell.

"Hope you haven't healed him much." Gajeel muttered, coming to a stop beside Cristoff, narrowing his eyes on the piece of shit mage that had hurt his mate. The mage was curled up in a corner, shivering, his long dark hair matted with pain sweat, and blood oozing sluggishly from his torn apart shoulder. Hearing a snort from Cristoff, Gajeel couldn't help but smirk cruelly. He had a feeling he'd come to like the man as a brother-in-law.

"Are you serious right now? Healing that sorry excuse for a mage after what he did to Levy? No way in fucking hell, this kill is all yours, I've only been keeping him stable enough so he doesn't pass from the land of the living before you have your turn with him." Cristoff sneered, insult clear in his voice. Clapping the mans shoulder with a hand, Gajeel stepped past him, accepting the key that was held out to him before opening the cell door. Bix was right on his heels, and without a word, he stalked over to the injured mage.

The scream of pain that escaped the huddled mage as Gajeel yanked him to his feet and slammed him into the wall stroked the dragon that was raging within him, and he found himself smiling cruelly into the mans pained eyes.

"Hello...friend...so we need to talk." Gajeel cooed, his voice cloyingly sweet, even as his eyes were hard as, well, steel.

Gulping, the man trembled, hard, fighting hard not to piss himself.

"That woman, the young, blue haired, small mage that you found in your hands earlier today." Gajeel paused, fighting the urge to just break the mans neck as even through the pain, a smug smirk settled on his face.

"Oh ya, I know that one. Fun little fuck that one, feisty too. Wasn't expecting her to go all animal on me, but that made it more fun when we broke her." The man mocked. When Gajeel didn't react in the slightest, the man felt himself falter slightly.

Gajeel eased to the side slightly, still pinning the man, and Bix could be seen just beyond his shoulder. Before another word could be said, Bix activated his eyes, and without hesitation dove into the mans soul, ripping the information needed from him with no remorse.

It was in this moment that Gajeel understood just how powerful his mate was, and why Bix had needed first shot at him. They both knew this man wasn't going to be walking out of this cell alive, and as tortured screams echoed shrilly in Gajeel's ears, he was grateful to Bix for standing up to him when he did.

A short time later the screams died away, and when Gajeel looked over to see Bix step back with a hate filled look on his face, for once he fought his own urge to shudder. Without a word, Bix turned and left the cell. Feeling his lips curl cruelly, he turned back to the quaking man and let him drop to the floor in a crumpled heap, before crouching down in front of him.

"So...friend...about that woman...do you know who she is?" Gajeel asked in a even tone. He watched in sadistic satisfaction as the man shook harder, and the acrid smell of urine filled the air between them as the man shook his head slowly.

"What's your name...friend?"

"J-J-Jes..." The man whimpered, swallowing hard.

"Well, Jes...do you know who I am?" Gajeel asked, enjoying drawing the questioning out.

"B-B-Bl-Black St-Steel Gajeel...iron dragon slayer...bo-bo-boss has wan-wanted you in-in Nightmare f-for a lon-long time..." The man whimpered.

"That's right Jes, I'm Kurogane, Black Steel Gajeel, and that's a laugh, I'd never join a guild like Nightmare, not when I have something much better waiting for me." Gajeel tilted his head, cold eyes running over the shivering form cowering before him. Jerking his head, he nodded to Bix who was just outside of the cell, standing next to his brother. "Do you know who that is?" Getting a negative shake of his head, Gajeel pressed on. "Do you know who the woman is? That blue haired one?" Again a negative shake.

"Ok well, let's give you a bit of an education lesson here. First off, you're a dead man, no two ways about it. Second, that man, is mate to one of the most cold hearted of dragon slayers. That would be me. Are ya following me here?"

Nodding, the man gulped hard, eyes flickering nervously between the two men.

"Now, Jes, would you like to know where you and your guild fucked up majorly?" At this Jes hesitated, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Oh? Don't want to know? Well, you're going to find out. You and your worthless guild, fucked things up by not finding out who the little blue haired woman is. In a very rare occurrence, Black Steel Gajeel has two mates. One is the handsome man standing not far behind me, while the other is that blue haired woman you had fun with." Gajeel finished, snarling.

Gulping harder, Jes tried to become one with the wall.

"Oh, and an even bigger fuck up on your end? You took her right from in front of both of her mates, one of which has a direct connection to that island, an immediate member of the royal family of this kingdom, brother to White Sea's guild master, AND you kept her close by to get what you needed. So now, we're going to have some fun with you." Gajeel purred, hands reaching out once more. Pain filled screams, garbles, and pleas for mercy filled the air quickly, echoed by the sounds of bones breaking, blood dripping, and skin being split open.

Gajeel had just barely begun his work, determined that nothing would stop him.

How wrong he was.

He was moving before he even realized it, a terror induced roar echoing through his head, just as it echoed through the castle, and he could feel the tremble of the castle as that familiar roar made contact with some part of the building. He was moving blindly, following the blur of his black and blue haired mate.

He had been so startled, so overwhelmed with the terror and mental pain that exploded through his head, he had shifted into his dragon force on instinct, and when he had spun around, his clawed hand swiped out and ended the man who he'd been working on.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but when Gajeel and Bix burst into the room that they had been given, they had to immediately duck as what appeared to be a rune script...roar?!...blasted over their heads, demolishing the wall behind them.

Blinking in shock at the damage done, the men were quick to turn back to the thrashing, screaming, small blue haired, iron coated spit fire being pinned by Gaza even as Beck stood close by, hands clenching as he fought not to help the woman.

Wait...iron coated?!

Darting further into the room, ducking another roar just as Gaza did the same, and Beck quickly stepped to the side, Gajeel and Bix were quick to shove her out of the way as they dived into the bed on either side of Levy, calling to her.

"Levy! Levy you have to stop! You can't use that magic! Fuck! Bix! She can't use this, her body will come apart, she's not made for this!" Gajeel was shouting and Bickslow grit his teeth. "She won't open her eyes! Levy! Levy look at me!" He cried but Levy was thrashing, the iron in her skin was already ripping her open, not raised for Dragon Slayer magic she was completely unable to wield it, her body hadn't spent a lifetime adapting to it and couldn't begin to even hope to contain it.

From next to Bickslow a hand reached in and pressed onto Levys forehead, glowing brightly. A moment later her eyes flew wide upen and Bickslow was over her, eyes flaring and the woman stilled as Bickslows magic grasped her, stilled her, he forced down the instinctual ripping at every defense she could , forced her to still as Gajeel was pressing his hands over where the scales had torn her skin open coming to the surface, so grateful to see a familiar head of black hair and dark blue eyes at his side he almost fell over, immediately removing his hands as Cristoff pulled himself onto the bed beside him and got his hands on Levys shaking body.

"Keep hold of her Bix…" Gajeel said shakily, watching as Cristoffs magic poured into his mate for the second time that day, ebbing the flow of blood from the wounds all over her caused by dragon scales ripping through her skin.

"It was instinct…she was grasping at the strongest magic she could, waking up thinking she was still…" Bickslow breathed out, Levys agonized thoughts flowing over him and Gajeel through their bond and both men wrapped all they were around her as Kalebs hand held her forehead and Cristoff worked to repair all the damage she had just done to herself.

"Sleep Levy…peacefully…sleep" Cristoff said, leaning in next to Bickslow, magic flowing through eyes that turned silver and Levy relaxed, the tension leaving her in a rush as a deep soothing sleep overwhelmed her. Bickslow gasped, slumping to the bed next to her, Kaleb staggered back, sitting heavily on the nightstand. Cristoff was the only one not panting but the strain on him still showed as he kept going, repairing Levys body again. Gajeel rested a hand on the other Dragon Slayer and watched as the tears and rips all over Levy mended, as her skin smoothed. Her face peaceful, the feelings from her no longer pained or chaotic. He felt like he could breathe again.

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"It's not unheard of…I hadn't talked to you two about it because usually mates don't tap into the Dragon Slayer magic, they generally can't." Gajeel was saying. They were sitting at the table in the room adjoining the bedroom where Levy lay sleeping.

Arman, Kaleb and Cristoff with them.

"Well extreme trauma seemed to override that a little too well." Kaleb observed. They had moved to Cristoffs chambers, half the wall of the bedroom in Bickslows was gone and a crew of repairmen were already working to fix it, but they needed peace, and to figure out what had just happened, so they could make sure it didn't happen again.

"I don't get why it did that to her…if she was using the magic to protect herself…" Bickslow sighed, magic was so volatile, he knew it, his own in the hands of someone not a master of it would be as bad or worse than they had just seen.

"Gajeel put the magic into us, I mean, I can feel it there…it…strengthens me, especially when he's close by." He added.

Levy using the iron scales had almost killed her, nearly torn her body apart as the scales had come to the surface shredding through her as they did so.

"You're not meant to use the magic, only to be in tune with it, unison raids, being able to withstand your mates dragon force, hold up while you fight at their side." Cristoff said. "If you get caught in or by one of their attacks for some reason, you won't be hurt by it."

Gajeel nodded, frowning at his hands "You can't just suddenly start using a foreign kind of magic, especially one as powerful as Dragon Slayer magic, we slayers spend our whole lives working to contain that power. I…I really should have explained it…"

"But I don't think I could pull it out like that…I mean…I wouldn't try I don't think…" Bickslow said.

"You're strong though Bix, think about it, Levys big thing is she's always worried about being weak. I didn't warn you guys to leave it be, to not pull on it and our bonds are still new, the Dragon Magic is still settling in you guys. So she goes through…hell…and reaches for the strongest thing she has to fight with…she's got no idea it could kill her." Gajeel sighed, shaking his head.

"It's not your fault Gaj, not like we ever thought this was going to happen…this was supposed to be a fucking vacation…" Bickslow said bitterly.

"Well, I can't put a block into her so she can't accidentally tap into it again, the Dragon Soul is just too strong to block off like that. We have to come up with something before she accidentally does it again." Kaleb said firmly.

Gajeel could only nod. He felt horrible, Levy had no way of knowing taping that magic was so dangerous, in her desperation maybe it wouldn't have mattered if he had told her, but he still felt responsible. Dragon Slayer magic wasn't something you just suddenly picked up and used.

"She'll need a couple days, I'll keep her under, dreamless. One Dragon roar takes more magic than she has in both of her magic containers, a script mage absolutely doesn't have the capacity a Dragon Slayer does, she drained herself with the first roar, the second one, then the third with the scales….fuck if I know how she did that, she had to have tapped one of you…" Cristoff said, waving a hand at Gajeel and Bickslow. Gajeel winced, he'd felt it, the pull on his magic, it was what had shifted him into dragon force in the dungeon.

"Yeah…me…I felt it…" Gajeel admitted.

Cristoff nodded "Yeah well, good thing she did or she'd be dead, you don't dump every shred of your magic energy that hard without there being a harsh price. Fuck…Dad…maybe you should call Draco in here, see what we can do to make sure Levy can't accidentally do that again…because I'm at a loss." Cristoff sighed, leaning back in his chair and rubbing a hand over his face.

Gajeel glanced at the man, he was liking Bickslows brothers, there was a strong feeling of family, loyalty, love between Bickslow and them, and his father, it reminded him of how he'd felt with Metalicana all those years ago. This sense of belonging. It amazed him that when Cristoff stood and passed him, he felt that connection even though he'd just met these people.

He glanced toward the bedroom, the two large doors were open and light from where they sat illuminated Levys form on the bed, sleeping peacefully, blessedly protected from nightmares by Cristoffs magic so she could rest safely.

Arman stood. "I'll go get him…I agree, I don't think we have any other options, since Gajeel and you, being dragon raised don't know how to protect her from it, perhaps an actual dragon will…" He turned and hesitated "I'll have food brought, I expect you all to eat, Gajeel, you might think about cleaning up…" He added, giving his soon to be son-in-law a gentle smile before heading from the room.

Gajeel frowned but stood, Kaleb put a hand on Bickslows shoulder. "I'll show you where everything is, Cristoffs chambers are set up a little different from Bix since he used to have a 100 foot long Dragon check in on him from time to time." Kaleb chuckled.

"She didn't check in, she just barged into the chambers." Cristoff snorted. "It made some rather busy nights a bit eventful..." Cristoff continued, muttering under his breath.

Gajeel ran a hand over Bickslows hair as he passed and his mate smiled at him thinly. They were both drained, emotionally wrecked over what had happened, but both held strong, knowing Levy needed them to.

He'd wondered briefly why Cristoffs rooms were so huge with such high ceilings, if his dragon had actually entered them, that explained it.

"Your bags are right there by the door, if you want I an have an attendant help you bathe…maybe I should send Bix, Cristoff will keep a close eye on Levy, his magic will keep her stable and asleep until we figure this all out." Kaleb said, something about the man was just…calming, Gajeel couldn't put his finger on it, Cristoff was the same way, both of them just had these soothing auras about them.

"Already here…you can go sit with Cris, I'll look after my mate…if Dad has cinnamon cookies brought up your ass better not eat 'em all…" Bickslow added, narrowing his eyes on his older brother.

Kaleb smirked "No promises. Don't take long, Dad will be back with Draco as soon as he stops at the kitchen to get them making food for us. You'll want to talk with him." The blonde turned then, leaving the bath chamber and closing the doors behind him. Bickslow didn't even wait to move into Gajeels arms, letting the tears he'd been choking back escape him.

"It'll work out…shrimps stronger than even she thinks she is…." Gajeel said, holding his silently sobbing mate tightly.

The bath helped both of them, getting Levy and the dark mages blood cleaned off the Dragon Slayer, washed out of his long hair, then fresh clothes onto him along with all the gentle touching, long needy kisses that both men had needed more than they realized, getting and giving comfort, going through the motions.

When they emerged back into the sitting area a couple large carts of food were there, and so was a familiar tall midnight haired man in a black suit.

Gajeels senses went a little haywire over that man, the scent of pure dragon was something he hadn't breathed in in a long while.

"Gajeel, this is Draco, the Celestial Dragon…he's been a close friend, guardian, of our family for generations…" Arman introduced. Gajeel watched as Bickslow smiled, stepping forward to hug the tall dark being and he nodded to him, meeting the golden eyes.

Draco nodded back.

"Son of Metalicana, I'm pleased to meet you, Bix you sure didn't play around with mates that's for sure…" Draco smirked, patting the Seith on the back.

When he started toward the bedchamber and Levy, Gajeel growled, not entirely comfortable with the situation. Bickslow looked at him frowning slightly.

"Babe, if anyone can help her…" He said softly and Gajeel nodded "I know, I don't have to be thrilled though, I'll deal with it."

"So she tapped dragon slayer magic in a blind response to trauma…" Draco said as he walked alongside the bed.

"Yeah, used a messed up roar that incorporated her own script magic into it, blew out a wall in the side of the castle and also pulled scales but they shredded her up pretty bad coming in." Cristoff said.

Gajeel drew a breath. The bruises and injuries weren't visible now, Cristoff had healed everything superficial, along with all of the deeper wounds, but she still looked fragile, small.

"Not unheard of…very very dangerous though, Dragon Mates don't use their slayers magic unless they're slayers themselves, their bodies and magic containers aren't adapted, usually aren't anywhere near strong enough to handle it…" Draco sighed.

"Yeah we noticed that when half her body got shredded by the fucking scales." Gajeel snapped.

Draco raised a brow at him. "I can block the magic from her use, in time the block will fade as her body adapts to having the Dragon Magic within her, but you need to impress on her, STRONGLY, that she is never to try and tap into it. I know she probably wasn't even thinking, just reacting, and the magic made itself available to her probably because of the trauma, but it's seductive." He paused, looking hard at Gajeel then.

"She's a script mage, only two origins open, both of them relatively small, typical of script and rune mages since their magic doesn't need heavy amounts of magic power to work well. One roar would wipe out every drop of magic in her. You need to train with your mates Gajeel, teach them how to be attuned to the new magic inside of them but NOT use it. They have only a tiny bit of the Dragon Soul you carry, not enough to make them able to use Dragon Slayer magic safely. Not ever, and they both need to understand that. The union of the magic is only meant to enable the mate to be at your side, to fight with you, it doesn't make them into Slayers themselves, only an actual Dragons soul can do that. Like the one Metalicana placed in you." Draco said firmly.

He met Gajeels eyes unflinching too, no fear in him at all even when the Red eyes narrowed.

He was a Dragon looking at a Dragon Slayer, and Gajeel knew he was right, knew training had to happen, he'd planned on it, but things had just happened so fast, and Levy being attacked certainly hadn't been part of his plans. Like Bickslow had said, they were supposed to be relaxing, enjoying a vacation together. Hell he'd hoped to go over all of this with them while they were here, even start teaching them, training with them a little.

"I know that…I'd planned to start training with them, we just didn't have time…I sure as fuck didn't expect this to happen!" He snarled and Draco narrowed his eyes.

"You're the Dragon Slayer, you bear the responsibility of training your mates. I know this wasn't meant to happen, I understand what occurred, but you are out of time now, training will start as soon as she's able. I'll put the block into her, expect her not to like it, she's going to want to use that power again...like I said, it's seductive, she's used to low magic energy skills, I don't doubt her strength as a Script mage, but she sure as hell is no Dragon Slayer and can't ever be." Draco said firmly.

"Levy's strong Draco…" Bickslow said, glaring at the Dragon Spirit.

Draco sighed. "It's not a question of her strength damn it, it's that she wasn't raised by a dragon, doesn't have a pure Dragon soul inside of her, doesn't have anywhere near the capacity to ever have the magic energy required to use the magic she tapped into. Now that she's used it, it will be a temptation, something she might want to use and you BOTH have to make sure she doesn't try to." Draco responded.

Both men nodded grimly. Not happy, but understanding. They were both, magically, stronger than Levy, by a fairly large margin too. Levys' magic was meant to be based on intellectual application, shielding, guarding, mostly defense, she had found genius ways to make it work for attacks and was as swift and strong as Freed in her own way, lacking Freeds additional demonic power, she really was strong as a script mage, the strongest in all of earthland. Her runes and spells had such a strength to them that there were few and far people who could actually break through her work.

Draco moved to her side and ran a hand over her, not touching her, just waved it across her from head to foot, shimmering magic lighting her whole being for a few moments before settling.

"There, the magic is sealed away, she can't tap into it no matter how hard she tries, for now. Like I said though, that will fade, it's up to you to train her and prepare her so she doesn't make that mistake again, even in a moment of desperation." Draco said. Gajeel and Bickslow both nodded and Draco stood from the bed, moving past the men and ruffling Bickslows then Cristoffs hair, both men swatting at him in annoyance as he chuckled.

They had grown up under Dracos watchful eye, all of them had. To Draco they were as much his children as they were Armans at times.

"Once her magic containers have regenerated from what she did, it should be fine to let her wake up, you two should stay close to her…she'll need you, Cristoff or Kaleb should stay close at hand in case you need help getting her through some rough spots…she's going to have them…" Draco said with a frown.

"The other men who did it…they escaped, the boat was recovered, they used a teleportation lacrima from what we could gather." Arman said with a dark look, reaching to pour some dark amber liquor into a tumbler.

"I know one of 'em…Ruger…used to be in Phantom Lord…I already have people finding out where he lives now…" Gajeel said, nodding when Arman held the bottle of golden labeled whiskey out to him.

He poured himself a hefty amount, passing the bottle to Bickslow who did the same.

"Rugers a coward, once I get my hands on him he'll give the others up…I mean to get my hands on every one of them…" He growled.

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It had been a long night, Gajeel and Bix hadn't slept at all, curled up on either side of their little blue haired mate, the memory of what they had seen happen to her in so many different ways still playing on a loop, no matter how hard they tried to distract themselves.

The vacation that they had hoped to have, time taken to build their bond, grow closer, had been stolen from them in a moment. They knew the next steps that were needed, and while they both wanted to take immediate action against the mages that were proving to be more than just a pebble in their shoes, they knew precision, caution, planning was needed.

So for now, they would wait.

Not something that came easily to a dragon slayer.

Taking a deep breath, Bix finally broached the subject that was needed.

"We need to call the guild love." He said softly, his fingers playing absently with the ends of Levy's hair. After what had happened, he had this urge, this drive to be touching her, constantly, just to remind himself that she was really still there. He hadn't just found them, claimed them, not too long ago, only to lose one of them now.

"It's three in the fucking morning Bickslow, it can wait." Gajeel stated just as quietly. Like Bix, he was being driven to remain in contact with Levy, his fingers drawing small circles across her bare arm, occasionally fiddling with her limp fingers.

"No, it can't Gajeel. If gramps finds out this happened, and we didn't contact him immediately, he'll have our heads, you know this." His words rang true, if a little weary. Bix remembered his own previous times when something had happened to various guild members, and Markarov had been the last to know. The first time it had happened, he remembered thinking that he had thought Natsu, Gray, and Erza were bad with their tendency to be destructive. Now, compared to Markarov when one of his children were hurt? The damage they did was easily picked up, large, torn pieces of paper in comparison.

"As it is, even if we call him now, he's going to be upset that we didn't call him sooner. So let's not make it worse for ourselves alright?" Bix suggested, a slight whine evident in his voice as he nearly begged.

Letting out a resigned sigh, Gajeel nodded. He watched as Bix bent down over Levy, brushing her forehead with a quick kiss before moving from the bed. He remained where he was, letting his eyes fall shut as he listened to Bix activating the comlink in the other room.

"Bix m'boy, it's three in the morning, what's going on?" Markarov asked, voice rough with sleep.

"Hey jiji, we just needed to let you know that we'll be a bit longer in getting back than expected." Bix said, tone weary.

"Bickslow, what happened? Aren't you still on the job?"

"No, we completed the job, quickly, that was all fine, we came to visit Dad. While here, Levy was taken. We got her back already, but there were some complications. I really don't want to get into it over this call, I just needed to let you know that we'll be a bit longer before coming back." Bix explained in a rush, worry still heavy in his voice.

"Just tell me that she's ok." Markarov demanded, his voice hard. "And tell me that you're going after whoever did this."

"We already got one of them, and we're tracking the others. It's...a bit more complicated though. Who they are is going to require a great deal of manuevering."

"Undercover?"

"More than likely."

A sigh could be heard, before Markarov continued. "How long before you're back?"

"Not entirely sure as of right now. Levy and I need to go through some training while here, and then we'll be coming back. Kaleb has an idea, and we'll be going over the details of that more. We'll explain more when we get back. Until then...if you need to speak with us, just call us."

"Bickslow."

"Yes Master?"

"Is. Levana. Ok." Markarov stated firmly, not letting that little bit slip past him. Seeing Bix pale slightly had his worry mounting, and fought the urge to head for Archipelago at that moment.

"We don't...we don't entirely know. It's one of the reasons we're staying to train."

"Dammit all boy, what the hell happened?!" Markarov snapped.

"She almost fucking died master, but she didn't, and now she needs to heal, so leave it!" Gajeel snarled, appearing just behind Bix's shoulder, and before either of them could say a thing, Gajeel cut the connection, and shoved the lacrima into a side drawer, effectively ending any chances of Markarov calling back and them answering.

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It had been a number of weeks now, nearly two months had passed since Levy, Bickslow, and Gajeel had arrived at Archipelago, and Levy had been attacked. And those were some of the hardest weeks Gajeel and Bickslow ever remembered having. Leaning on the railing of the balcony that was attached to his room in the castle, Bix looked out over the view lost in thought, remembering the first time that Levy had woken from her healing sleep. Her magic containers had refilled, and Cristoff had lifted his sleep spell, allowing her to wake naturally, and she had continued to sleep.

He had been in the shower, just finishing up when he had heard Gajeel call out to him in a panic just as a shrill cry sounded from his room. He remembered stumbling from the shower and into the bedroom, a barely remembered towel that he had grabbed thrown sloppily around his hips. He had felt his heart crack at the sight that greeted him. Gajeel, arms wrapped tightly around the small Levy, tears trailing down his cheeks silently as he murmured to her, trying to reach her past the body shaking sobs that had her jerking, fighting, to get free from his arms.

He hadn't hesitated to curl up on her other side, and when he saw that her eyes were open but unfocused, he was quick to tap into the bond they had and dive into it, pulling Gajeel with him, reaching deeper into the bond. It had taken him precious seconds, but they had found her, deep, buried, curled in on herself and crying. Seeing her with a large form curled around her, a large red eye watching them as they came closer didn't come as a surprise either.

'Angel...'

'Shrimp...'

Their voices had echoed, surrounding her, their love for her pulsing strongly along the bond. They had watched as her head had lifted, eyes scared, and...something else that had given them pause. There, in her arms, had been a small form, a small dragon. A limp, small yet long body draped over her arms, the purest of white scales a sharp contrast against the colors of Levy's clothes, and the gray form surrounding her. And not moving.

'Gajeel...Bickslow...I...I...I'm so sorry!' Levy sobbed, rocking slightly as she continued to cradle the small limp form in her arms. Easing down next to her, they wrapped her in their arms, nuzzling her. Moving carefully, Bix laid a hand on the small dragon she was holding, and it disappeared in a burst of light, floating up and away.

'Oh love...it's not your fault...' Gajeel murmured, burying his face in her hair. He could feel the pain, the anguish radiating from her, and he finally understood why she hadn't been responding to them before.

'Angel...we need to go home.' Bix said softly, running a hand over her arm.

'B-b-but I couldn't save him, couldn't protect him!' Levy wailed, gripping them tightly.

'Levy...did you even know about him before you were taken?' Gajeel asked quietly, running a hand over her back.

'N-no but that doesn't-'

'It does matter Levy, this wasn't your fault...' Bickslow sighed, wrapping his long arms around them both, as the gray form wrapped around her eased away, giving them room. Closing his eyes against the sting of tears, Bix took a deep breath and pulled them back from the depths of their bond.

Now, as he stood looking out at the horizon, he was glad that they had managed to figure out why she had been acting instinctively so much. While she shouldn't have been tapping into the dragon slayer magic she now held, it made sense when the life that had just been taking root, and had only been a couple of weeks old by that point, had been threatened when she had been captured. Not only had she been trying to protect herself, but the dragon soul she now held had known she was pregnant and reacted accordingly.

The baby had still been lost, and Levy had been lost in her grieving.

Hearing faint sounds of stirring, Bix turned back to the balcony doors to find Gajeel standing there, shoulder leaning against the doorjamb, hair a jumbled mess spilling over his shoulders in a dark curtain.

'Alright love?' Gajeel asked silently, his mental voice a gentle caress along his skin.

'Will be. Alot has happened. I'm still worried about Lev. She's still distant. I don't want to go back until we get past that last bit that's holding her back.'

'You know what it is right?'

'Yea..I caught a glimpse of it when we found out about the pregnancy. She doesn't think we'll want to touch her after what happened. She still feels violated by those mages, and worries that it'll affect how we react to her.'

'We've gotta fix that.'

'Yea, we do. I have an idea, but I'll need your help.'

'What can I do?' Gajeel straightened, striding forward to brace his hands on the railing beside Bix.

Turning, Bix met his gaze head on when Gajeel turned to look at him. 'We need to bring out Kurogane.'

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Her nightmares were epic, and one night had been particularily bad, Levy screaming and crying herself nearly unconscious until Gajeel had called for Cristoff, demanding the Lunar Slayer put her back under.

The other slayer stood in front of the enraged Iron slayer with his lips pressed in a thin line, midnight blue eyes filled with sadness but unmoving firmness.

"No, she has to get through this, she can't sleep forever Gajeel…I'm sorry, she absolutely has to face this…" He said firmly and Gajeel grabbed Cristoff by his shirt, slamming the taller slayer against the wall behind him cracking the plaster, Cristoffs right arm shattering a window, Bickslow wide eyed rushing forward trying to stop his mate.

"She can't take it! She needs more time!" Gajeel demanded. "She lost a baby you heartless fuck!"

"She has to get through it!" Cristoff said unflinching.

"Gajeel! No!" Bickslow was trying to drag Gajeel off his brother but Gajeel took a swing in spite of him, connecting and sending Cristoff right through the wall and going through it after the Lunar Slayer, his rage all but consuming him. Cristoff didn't fight back, deflected Gajeels attacks well, dark blue and silver scales forming over his arms, he was as big as Gajeel, a little taller, pound for pound the two Dragon Slayers were near equally matched, Cristoff just a little stronger, a little bigger, but Gajeels grief driven rage closed that small gap.

"Sleep Iron Dragon!" Cristoff called finally and the Iron Dragon Slayer slumped to the ground, Cristoff lay a short distance away trying to catch his breath, blood running from his mouth and nose, a long gash on his arm where it went through the window bled freely but Cristoff stood quickly, helping Bickslow gather up Gajeel and carry him to the bedroom to lay him down next to Levy.

As soon as he was laid back, Bickslow broke down, both of his mates were suffering more than he had ever wanted them to and he couldn't handle it alone. His brothers arms closed around him and he accepted the embrace, grimacing when his hand came away wet with blood after touching Cristoffs arm.

"Shit Cris you're a fucking mess." He said weakly.

"Both of you look like shit." An amused voice called and both men looked up. Bickslows eyes widened.

"Van…"

Eyes similar to his, just a little darker were lit with amusement as usual, concern vying for supremacy but with Vander there was almost never complete seriousness.

"Big brothers…Dad called, said my ah…skills were needed…put the damn Steel Council on their ass and had me yanked in from assignment in fucking Bellum so I'm guessing y'all don't just look like shit because you partied too hard…" The Shadowquip pushed off from where he was leaning on the door frame and Bickslow felt a flutter of something…firm, strong certainty. Certainty that he and his mates were going to get justice.

Of his brothers, Vander dealt in the deadliest circles. Gajeel had dark ties, could reach into the dark places and have influence, but men like Vander were who you sent to clear out those dark places nobody wanted to go, dark things feared one thing, Blood Hunters, and Vander bore the red rimed black shield branded into the back of his right shoulder that identified him as one.

His unique and rare magic had made him an asset the Boscan government had latched onto with immense possessiveness. Their father hadn't wanted it, had stepped up ready to free his youngest son from his appointment to the Blood Hunter ranks but Vander had stopped him, told his father he would stay in the Steel Council as a Blood Hunter, the influence he had there had helped their family many times over the years, and if there were things nobody could do, if fighting something dark and terrible came up, they all knew their youngest brother was probably the best one to call for.

It had made Vander a bit reclusive, a bit withdrawn, the merry carefree child had been lost to the things he'd had to do since he had become part of the Steel Council, but their father had devised an escape for him, he had only to ask for it. Nobody believed he ever would, Vander traveled the world, made a great deal of money, had women and power at his fingertips and seemed…content with it.

Still though, no matter what he was doing or where he was, if his family called, like any of them would, he dropped what he was doing and came running.

His wine colored eyes, once so bright and happy, held age well beyond his 21 years. Hard won experience had always hinted of the nightmares he said didn't haunt him but they all knew better.

"Heal your sorry ass Cris, shit…so Dad says this is Nightmares doing….they stole blood from your pretty little mate there?" Vander asked. Bickslow had crossed the room and was lifting Vander into a hug, his brother rolling his eyes.

"Fuck…Bix…you're getting sentimental in your old age man." Vander snorted and Bickslow smiled in spite of himself.

"Little shit, wear enough leather? Damn, people are going to think you went ahead and gave up the council to become a courtesan." He jabbed and Vander huffed.

"Whatever, I was in the middle of some things when I had to drop everything and hop a gunship to get here, fucking slept with ammunition, I'm gonna smell like gunpowder for a month and this is the gratitude I get?" Vander returned. Sounds from the bed caught their attention, and they shifted to see that Gajeel woke when Levy next did, brought around by her muffled whimpers.

"Fuck Kaleb, you have her all scared, told your ass you needed to cut that crazy hair, it's way longer than traditional for the clans, you going to become a hair model?" Vander quipped when nobody said anything, just hovered solemn and silent, bracing an arm against a bed post.

"Oh fuck off Van, hardly the time to make fun of my hair." Kaleb snapped.

"Bullshit, I take my opportunities when they come, you're lucky you're so tall and do all the weight work you do, shit, you're getting so pretty I'd date you. You should think about skirts…" Vander smirked shifting to wrap an arm around the bedpost instead, moving his hips in a mocking manner.

Kalebs nasty look was cut off by a shaky laugh and everyone looked to find Levy holding a hand over her mouth, laughing. It was soft and weak at first but then the little bluenette just howled with laughter, looking between the narrow eyed smirking Vander and his distinguished, older brother who was the picture of respected power as a successful Guildmaster.

It was the first sound other than whimpers and sobs to come from the script mage in days.

"Levy…my brother Vander…professional asshole." Bickslow introduced.

Vander grinned. "I'm better than fucking pro in that field thank you very much." He said loftily, pushing off the bedpost and managing to narrowly dodge Kaleb taking a swipe at him, Kaleb though redoubled his efforts and Vander cackled, engaging his magic and reappearing behind his old brother to smack his long hair up in the air before vanishing again with a yelp when Kaleb started to bring his own magic to bear.

They started training the next day under the careful watch of Cristoff and Kaleb. Vander talked with Gajeel privately and left. Neither him nor Gajeel revealing what they had discussed or where Vander was going.

Levy, like Draco had predicted, wanted to learn the magic she carried, and her stubborn streak came to bear at first until Gajeel finally put his foot down, much as he didn't want to, when she muttered a comment about her just learning to work with it on her own.

"You will NOT! Levy, there's stubborn then there's fucking stupid, trying to use magic you aren't trained for, don't have the capacity to ever control or power…that's stupid, you aren't dumb Shrimp, you know better than this, leave it the fuck alone and start learning to augment your own damn magic with it. You are not, and never will be, a Dragon Slayer, I don't want you killing yourself trying to be something you aren't!" He snarled. Levy had blinked at him, eyes catching at the ends of his hair as the tips swayed.

Both Levy and Gajeel had seen slight changes to their hair since the bond, and they could only believe that between the soul bond, and the unexpected tapping into dragon magic, they would share some physical traits. Gajeel had a few blue tips among the layers of his long black hair and Levy had black roots all along the nape of her neck that showed dramatically when she wore her hair up.

Cristoff had helped, the Lunar Slayer was considerably better at explaining things than Gajeel was, and once Levy knew her magic energy capacity would never be what it had to be to safely use Slayer magic, once she understood why the inherent massive differences between her own magic and Gajeels made touching it and trying to use it were pretty much a death sentence for her, she gave the idea up.

It was hard, she'd felt so much power felt so strong in those moments, and she'd needed that so much. But she also understood what she was asking was…selfish, reckless and…as Gajeel in his blunt honesty put it…stupid.

So their training with Gajeel focused on how their magic could work together, and Levy got past it all, finding where her magic fit and then enjoying the work.

Cristoff had duties of his own he had to get back to, and Gajeel had made a point of apologizing for his actions, thought the Lunar Slayer had waved him off. "If it were my mate…I'd likely have been no different…we should spar some time…I kinda liked squaring off against someone who can actually stand up to me." He'd smirked.

Kaleb was working on several things, one that seemed to involve him talking a lot with Fiores magic council and Master Makarov, though he waved Bickslow off when he asked about it.

"I'll tell you when more things are hammered out, not even sure if I can make it all happen, but I promise to let you know." He'd promised.

Bickslow was laying on the bed, Levy sitting on him, straddling his back as she rubbed his shoulders, back. He didn't bear as many tattoos as she'd seen on his brothers. Cristoff she'd seen shirtless sparring with Kaleb before he'd left, both men bore more than Bickslow did, though Bickslow and Cristoff both bore wolves among their clan tattoos.

Bickslow had grinned when she'd made the observation.

"We're from the same clan. Different parents, Cristoff is younger than me and all, but blood wise? We're really related by blood." He'd said. It was something he'd always known, always been proud of too. He adored all of his siblings, but had always been closest to Cristoff and Vander.

She glanced to Gajeel, who was sitting with his boots up on the desk across the room. They had been in Archipelago for a while now…were staring to think about going home. Gajeel was happy with how their training was working and they were too. Levy and Gajeel had now met three of Bickslows siblings, and Levy knew Gajeel was in some way, working with Vander still.

The Iron Slayer had a hefty respect for Vanders contacts and influence, and was making use of them. The two men had a dark deep understanding and respect for each other neither Levy nor Bickslow could fully understand, though they both knew it was there.

Levy had heard them talk late at night over the com lacrima, heard Gajeels darker persona come to bear, and while she had shivered with deep thrills at hearing the deeper gritty timbre his voice took when he let that dark part of him come to bear, that Bickslows baby brother wasn't fazed and responded easily to it impressed her, she wasn't sure she could meet those crimson eyes when he talked that way, let alone work with him and plan and even debate things with him.

Gajeel gave her a warm look as he sat looking through some things, they had started coming back into sync, she and Bickslow were fully cuddle buddies again, something she took advantage of a lot, and she was comfortable touching him, and Gajeel again, being held. Her body fully healed, the strength and unwavering support from her two mates had made the difference.

She enjoyed giving massages too, her mates were both seriously well built men, with bodies she very much enjoyed, and quietly rubbing her hands over Bickslows skin, kneading the firm muscles across his back and shoulders was just…good for her.

She still hesitated however, in further intimate matters of the bedroom. While her appetite for them was certainly there, she still dealt with the memories of the other men touching her. She knew she wasn't to blame, but still...she felt that Gajeel and Bickslow wouldn't see her the same, wouldn't want her after being used in such a way, and she hadn't been able to stop it.

Those doubts, those fears, still ate at her. Her beliefs of being weak, a burden had come back stronger than ever, and now she felt dirty, wrong, undeserving of any affection they may still for her.

Feeling Levy's hands stall on his skin, feeling the trembling that started her vibrating slightly against him, Bix was quick to look over his shoulder at her, finding her pale, face full of anguish, and eyes unfocused. Not letting this freak him out, he had actually been waiting for a moment such as this, Bix was quick to mentally reach out for her, and had to brace himself against the barrage of pain filled thoughts that were filling her.

Carefully keeping his connection with her separate, Bix reached out mentally to Gajeel, drawing his attention.

'Gaj...it's happening again...it's time...' Bix stated sadly, yet determined. He knew it was needed, but he was not entirely looking forward to the struggle this was going to be. Gajeel's head was quick to turn, focusing on them, and the bond, and as he focused, he hurried to their side. Before he even reached them, his persona had changed, taking on the aura of Kurogane, and even Bix had to fight not to fidget in anticipation. Gajeel was quick to scoop the currently unresponsive Levy into his arms, moving towards the other side of the room, Bix quickly following. Bix had shown him the hidden room a few days after they had arrived, with a smug look as Gajeel had grinned in sadistic glee, and Levy had flushed a brilliant crimson. They had planned to use the room at some point during their stay, but one thing after another had led to it not happening before now. Now, it was happening to help their small mate finish healing.

Quickly striding into the room, Gajeel scanned his gaze over the contents for a moment before seeing the one thing, that while a part of him revolted against the memory of the state they had found Levy in, he knew it would help get the healing started. Pausing before the large X-frame, with sturdy metal cuffs attached, Gajeel met Bix's questioning gaze with his own unwavering one and nodded. That was all that was needed.

In moments Bixlow had stripped, tossing his clothes back to land in a pile near the door before stepping forward to extend the length of the chains that held the cuffs, fighting his own memories of the last time he had found Levy strung up. They had already discussed previously that when it came time for this to happen, Bix would not speak unless needed, and this would be one of the few times that Gajeel would not be expecting him to act submissively. The only reason Gajeel hadn't adjusted the cuffs himself was because he was not letting Levy leave his arms until necessary.

Watching Bix carefully, Gajeel took pride in the sure movements in his mate, and when he saw the chains lengthened, he stepped forward. Bix hesitated for a moment, meeting his gaze worriedly, and when he received a firm nod, he quickly snapped one cuff onto a small wrist, and then the other. As soon as the second cuff clicked shut, the chains started to retract, and Levy began to whimper in fear, still lost in the memories that continued to haunt her. Soon enough Gajeel was carefully lowering Levy's feet to the floor, and the chains continued to move back into the X-frame, drawing her arms up until her arms were spread out securely, her feet still firmly on the floor. The sudden jerking motion, and the sound of the chains locking into place reached Levy in her memories, and she began to thrash, whimpers turning into full on wails.

It was in that moment that they were both so glad the room had been thoroughly sound proofed.

Lips pressing together in a pained frown, Bix was quick to step back as Gajeel took a deep breath, stepping fully into his Kurogane persona. Taking confident steps forward, he was quick to grip her hair at the nape of her neck in a firm fist, drawing her head to the side, and without a pause bent down to growl, low, long, and powerfully right into her ear.

That sound echoed around the room, reaching deep into the bond they shared, and with a gasp Levy was pulled from the memories and into the present, even as Bix sunk to his knees, moaning at the sound.

Whimpering, dropping her gaze, Levy tried to shake her head free from his grip, afraid to face him. She didn't have to look to know who was standing right behind her, his front pressed tightly against her back. She could feel that she was still clothed, as was he, and his smell was surrounding her, but she was having trouble separating the accepted, the desired, the current from that which had happened in the oily, smokey cave. She couldn't stop trembling, couldn't stop the thoughts threatening to drown her in doubt.

"Levy, you will listen to me. I am going to push you. I know what happened that night, and we are going to go over every bit, every part, and you will listen to everything I say to you, and believe it, do you understand me?" Gaj -no, Kurogane, Gajeel had stepped back into the shadows for now- stated firmly, the hand in her hair not letting go, moving with each shake of her head, refusing to relent. When she merely whimpered in response, yanking on the chains once more, he snarled, his hand tightening, before sinking his teeth into her skin, enough to mark, but not enough to break the skin.

"I said, do you understand me?!" Kurogane growled once more, his words a vibration against her skin that sent heat pooling into the pit of her stomach with no chance of stopping it. "Answer me!" The snarl made her suck air in, eyes flying wide.

"Yes! I…I understand…yes sir!"

Fingers trailed down her side, a reward and Kurogane yanked the headscarf from her hair, shifting it to tie it over her eyes. "When you feel a touch, it will only be ours, when you imagine them, dream about them, they'll be ours whether you see us or not." He said darkly.

Levy whimpered, in a space between the nightmares of what had happened to her, and the reality that she was with her two mates, the men she loved, who loved her, who she could feel in her mind, her heart, and as large hands started moving over her, her body came alive, thrills that were muddied between pleasure and fear shooting through her.

He knew where to touch her, they had been together enough times now, but to assure the depth of his affect he leaned in, pressing against her as he undid the last of the clasps on his black tunic, let her feel him pulling it open against her. Smirked faintly hearing Bickslow make a soft noise behind him.

"Do you feel me Kitten?" He breathed in a low rumble by her ear, she nodded rapidly, still wavering heavily between delight and despair. He had to tip her farther toward the reality, toward the here and now, toward him and Bickslow.

He could see what they had done, the whole experience vividly provided by Kaleb and enhanced through their bond once Levy had regained consciousness. His hands followed those paths, but where pain had been inflicted before, where bruising and injury had been laid, he left a trail of pleasure.

He didn't have to speak to bring Bickslow to him, the Seith was fully tuned into him and Levy, the training of the last few weeks had brought them closer than ever. Bickslows hands took the paths of the second man, his long fingers gentle, when he pressed his face into her neck he was smiling, humming sweet endearments.

"I love you.." He purred and she moaned when she felt it, how true and strong that was. Gajeels hands gripped her dress and tore it from her, both he and Bicsklow feeling her spiral right into her nightmare again.

Gajeel pressed into her again, sliding his bare chest against her "I love you kitten…" He breathed, where insults and threats had fallen before, he and Bickslow purred endearments, promises, told her she was beautiful.

She writhed in their hands, gasping and moaning, the long hot kisses, their lips and teeth dragging over her skin. Even when they ripped away the last of her clothes she wasn't screaming anymore, wasn't thinking "NO" over and over and over in her mind.

When Gajeel turned her on the x-frame Bickslow guided the chains, assuring Levys arms weren't wrenched. The bastards before had dislocated one of her shoulders during that part of her ordeal, but her mates kept her safe, instead of meeting rough sharp stone with her face she felt Bicsklows hands cupping her cheeks, his lips slanting over hers, he'd put himself between her and x-frame so she was pressed into his body as Gajeel massaged her hips, ran his hands over her rear, pressed fingers into her. She almost cried out, stiffened at the intrusion but Bickslow was humming against her lips, his tongue sliding over hers, hands gentle and warm on her breasts.

"Remember our words Kitten, tell me if it gets too much…" Gajeel said, leaning into her, pressing her more firmly into Bicsklow as his fingers delved into her body.

"Yes…yes sir…"She breathed, nuzzling into Bickslows neck, struggling between the real and the memory more, Kurogane wasn't hurting her, but he was stirring memories of pain, and his movements so mirrored what those men had done, she knew he meant to, that her mates were recreating it all, replacing the touches, the sensations with soothing things, pleasure on pleasure instead of pain and humiliation.

Her instincts drove her into them, her body wanted them so much, they were her life, it was just the lines between reality and nightmare were so thin, Kurogane meant them to be too.

She was pulled, her hips drawn back into Gajeels and with a great deal of patience, deep breathing, and gentle thrusts, he was inside of her. He was larger than the man before and it almost sent her into a panic, but neither Kurogane nor Bix stopped and moments later she was pressed between the two men. When he had been given the ok from the man behind her, Bickslow buried deep inside of her too, slowly, insistently, and she screamed, unsure whether from pleasure, pain, fear or excitement, all of it mixing so much she couldn't distinguish it anymore. She lunged in, biting Bicsklows shoulder as she'd bitten the other man, though this time there were no fangs, no power flowed into her, and Bicsklow didn't scream, tipping his head so he was nuzzling the side of hers and moaning in pleasure.

It was the tipping point, right there, where Levys being released the nightmares and embraced the reality, her body was being made love to, it was incredible, her wildest fantasies alive, her body taken just utterly by her mates who drove into her with increasing lusty movements and she could barely breathe. Gajeels mouth closing over the mating mark, tongue rasping over the skin ended Levys connection with anything other than lust.

He smirked feeling it surge through her, reaching past her to pull Bickslows head to the side and doing the same thing to him, gratified by the way the man stiffened and groaned. He had shown them how to use their marks, but only on him, how they could touch it to drive pleasure into him, to let him know they wanted him. He'd forbidden them to use it outside the bedroom.

Though that hadn't really stopped Bicsklow, who got a serious thrill out of occasionally stirring his more volatile mate up just because he could and he sometimes wanted the consequences.

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Levy curled her fingers tightly in Gajeels hair, leg wrapped up over his hip, as he lay on his side facing her, Bickslow curled around her from behind, all three tangled up in each other.

"We should get up…" Levy said smiling when growls came from both of her mates.

"I'm hungry." She added. That was enough for Bickslow, who pressed a kiss against her neck before leaning over her to take a much harder one from Gajeels mouth. Enough the dragonslayer caught him by his hair and growled at him, Levy giggling between them.

"I'll see if the kitchen can send some food up for us, we might have to go down, it's actually almost lunch time…" He observed. Sliding from the bed and heading for the bath, he gave his mates a grin and Levy grinned back at him, wrestling a little with the grumpy dragon to get free and hurrying after Bickslow, sharing a bath in the large bath area of his chambers was too much fun to pass up and Bickslow was far too skilled in bathing others for her to consider passing up the opportunity of enjoying his attention.

Gajeel heaved a sigh, abandoned in the large bed that suddenly wasn't as comfortable. He stretched, smiling faintly, time in the "Playroom" between Bickslow and Vanders chambers had been more than just helpful with Levy, it had been liberating for all three of them. Gajeel hadn't been able to really stretch himself with his mates before but Bickslow had, cackling and snickering, broken into Vanders rooms and come back with a chest of toys to play with that had gotten all three of them plenty worked up.

The fact that Levy had turned into a downright purring, nearly drooling kitten when the flogger had been brought out, had delighted him to no end. That had brought him to try all sorts of different ways to drive them insane. Side by side, her on top, Bix on top, the flogger would drive them to move in a way that had them crying out before too long. Add in the bond, and Gajeel had enjoyed it just as much as they had, if not more so.

Vander might not be pleased to come home whenever he did next and find his personal collection raided but even Gajeel couldn't complain about the results. Bickslow hadn't been home in long enough he didn't have anything left in his chambers to really use, it was all in Magnolia or had been disposed of.

Vander on the other hand came home semi-regularily and had maintained a respectable collection of things and maintained the playroom. Gajeel had added a few more marks of respect on his list for Bicsklows youngest brother. A dominant like himself, the man had good taste in toys.

Rising he left his mates to their fun in the bath, hearing Levy in there making some very happy noises he knew Bickslow would make sure she emerged both weak kneed and every inch of her carefully cleaned. He instead went to the playroom, he had too much respect for the things they had used to leave them as they were.

While his mates bathed he cleaned everything up and put everything they had enjoyed back into the chest. Having no idea where Bickslow had found it he left it where it was but made sure everything was as meticulously cleaned as it had been when they'd found it all.

Levy was laying happy and smiling on the walkway alongside the large sunken bath, Bickslow still in the water leaning on his arms rubbing one of her feet when Gajeel joined them.

"Bout time." Bickslow commented.

"Someone needed to clean up. Don't want your brothers things deteriorating. He's done good maintaining that room." Gajeel said firmly.

"It is…really…nice." Levy breathed.

Gajeel sank into the steaming water sighing and Bickslow came right to him, the man took as much delight in getting his hands on Gajeel as he did Levy in the bath.

Cleaned up and dressed they went down to the kitchens and were ushered to a small dining room on an enclosed balcony overlooking the gardens. Arman and Kaleb both stood smiling when they came in. They watched Levy especially with keen eyes, and their smiles widened at the small hop that was back in her step.

Lunch was delicious as always, and Kaleb kept exchanging glances with Arman until Bicsklow finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Alright, what is it?" He prompted. They had already discussed that he and his mates were heading back to Magnolia the following day. The Palidace would be into port tomorrow morning and they needed to get home. They had been gone far longer than planned.

"Remember how I said I was working on something I didn't want to discuss until I had firmed it up better?" Kaleb said, smiling faintly.

"Yeah…finally going to tell us what you've been scheming with our Guild Master?" Bickslow grinned.

"A sisterhood. Between Fairy Tail and White Sea, it would enable mages from both guilds to work outside their native countries with resources and assistance if needed from a resident established guild. White Sea has grown over 4000 members strong now and we're expanding. I've built the branch on Aigne with Dads help and Fiore could use an influx of mages trained in taking down dark magic users since Nightmare is based there. I'll be honest, until what happened to Levy…I'd never heard of them before, but now, with the intelligence Vander has been gathering? They're a force that needs to be taken on and soon." Kaleb said firmly.

"They stepped up in the vacuum left when Oracion Seis and Grimoire Heart was taken out, we've had run ins off and on with members more and more over the last couple of years but there were bigger things going on with Fairy Tail that took priority, Tartaros for example." Gajeel said.

Kaleb smiled at him. "Exactlly, so, with permission from Fiores Magic Council and King secured yesterday, I've been given the go ahead to move forward with Makarov and work out the details to make the sisterhood a reality. So…if you three don't mind company…I'll be bringing Thane, my aid, and joining you on your trip back to Fiore."

Bickslows grin widened before taking another large bite of his food.

"A sisterhood?! That would be so good for Fairy Tail!" Levy said brightly. For her it would open up translating jobs spanning into Bosco and she spoke all of the Boscan languages, her Gemman was a little rusty, but that was a dead Clan language that she knew came up especially in Bosco since the Gemman clan had a village that was both on and off of the Grass Sea.

The possibilities were huge.

"Gramps is probably all sorts of into this idea." Gajeel agreed.

Arman smiled "He likes that he'll be able to purchase property in Archipelago if it goes through, I think he may be planning his retirement here."

Bickslow snorted. "Not on Anam, I've got nude beaches there, don't want people blinded or traumatized by his naked ass."

Levy gasped, eyes huge and even Arman laughed. "Yes well, you won't be able to prevent him from visiting, maybe it's time to reconsider having those son." The King chuckled.

Bickslow shook his head.

"Uh uh, no way, only ones on the islands, I'm doing a public service there Dad." Bickslow said firmly.

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The following morning saw them aboard the Palidace, comfortable in the chambers reserved for the Royal family. Kaleb had less time to be with them, ironing out matters for the guilds still and dealing with things for White Sea that he handled daily as its Master.

Levy watched the Islands recede and vanish behind them. Their vacation hadn't really been a vacation, they'd done no sightseeing, hadn't set foot on a beach, in a shop or even traveled much between islands, she had seen only a little of Anam, after the attack they had stayed on Archipelago at the palace the entire length of their stay.

She regretted it, and hoped to return and actually enjoy Bicsklows homeland, come and see all the beauty the islands offered in abundance. The snorkeling and underwater trails and train systems that linked the islands, the cable cars. The beauty and mystery of Aingeal Realta, that belonged to a brother Bicsklow wouldn't talk about, who he didn't even openly think about so Levy didn't have even flickers of memories to tell her what he looked like.

Farron they hadn't gotten to see, too busy on a diplomatic trip somewhere, and there was still the two sisters, Xally and Emzadi, who Bicsklow did think about, and had fond memories of.

She'd gotten to meet Cristoff, who she had immediately liked a great deal, and Vander, who she also liked, and Arman was wonderful, regal, diplomatic, loving and strong. The King was also devilishly handsome, it was little wonder he'd raised so many fine sons. The man had probably broken a lot of hearts over the years, she'd seen women look just as dreamy eyed at the King as they did his sons.

She missed home though. Missed Lucy, Cana, Jet and Droy. She was eager to get back to Magnolia. She smiled faintly, glancing up from dinner that night as Kaleb was laughing over Bickslow talking about one of his missions with the Rainjinshuu involving Cobra poisoning a group of young women that had been hounding Laxus, being rabid fangirls and the women ending up throwing up all over Laxus, very much not Cobras intention.

He was a striking man, she smiled to herself, Cana was going to be tripping all over the tall blonde. Laki, Lucy, all the single women were going to be all for the guild sisterhood if only so they could "serve" under White Seas handsome young Guild Master. Like Bickslow the man had little in the way of shyness, Levy had seen women steal into his chambers more than once during their stay. She'd even seen the tall blonde accepting some rough kisses from the Beast Master on his top team before knocking the big man back into some bushes and stalking out of sight after him.

Bickslow had said very few people raised under the traditions of Bosco and the Archipelago islands had a preference sexually, sharing pleasure freely without reservations was normal. Cana would really….really need to vacation there.

She sighed, giving Gajeel a warm look when he eyed her curiously and his large hand squeezed her thigh under the table. "I'm looking forward to getting home…" She said quietly and Gajeel smiled, nodding. He was too.

The following day the Palidace came into port ahead of schedule in Hargeon, and they found out if they hurried, they could make the morning train and be in Magnolia in time for a late breakfast at the guild.

Kaleb was a little startled by their insistence at rushing, but still was right with them when they ran for their train and jumped aboard just as it was pulling forward to leave the station.

"Damn, you three don't play around! Two hours to Magnolia from here huh? Well, as long as I get breakfast when we get there? I don't mind the rush." He smiled, settling in across from Levy for the ride to Magnolia. Home, even the train felt better, every minute took them closer and Levy was just beside herself ready to get to the guild and see her friends after such a long time away.


	13. Chapter 12

So yea...lemony goodness ahead, and a new crackship! Please remember to read and review!

Oh and, please don't kill us! *waves white flag while running away*

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The morning was quiet, and the peace was what drew Cobra from his sleep slowly. From his one eye he could see the dust motes dancing in the beams of sunlight filtering past the darker curtains over the one window in his room. Past the motes his eyes focused on the hardwood floor covered by a bland area rug, and the desk shoved in the corner with a few potted plants of poisonous flowers. Hearing the quiet chirping of the birds flying by outside of his home, he let out a quiet sigh before lifting his arms in a long stretch.

He took a moment to debate the option of going back to sleep, but after checking the time, he knew that it wasn't going to happen. It was early enough that a lot of Magnolia was still sleeping the morning away, including those of his guild mates. If he took off now, he'd be able to make it to the guild before members started trickling in, and possibly be able to get one of Mira's awesome poison laden breakfasts. He was really wanting some hemlock pancakes and belladonna syrup with cyanide laced butter and toast. Just thinking of the sweet laden breakfast had his mouth watering.

Releasing a yawn, he rolled from his bed and idly scratching his stomach headed for the shower in his comfortable studio apartment. He'd wanted a one bedroom, but this was spacious and it had a bay window with a built in seat he could lay on at night with the window open and just enjoy the night air without freezing while he watched people walk by on the street below. He was prone to getting cold easily. Wendy and the evil Pink haired shrew said it was the scar tissue that riddled his body from all of the beatings he'd taken at the tower, it didn't hold heat in like normal skin did.

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Forty-five minutes later saw him striding into the guild hall that he now called home. It had been almost a year if he remembered correctly, since his old guild joined Fairy Tail, becoming a team within the guild. He still remembered the feeling of trepidation he had felt when he had first entered that hall, certain that he was going to be attacked. And in a way he had been attacked.

He had been attacked with acceptance.

He hadn't understood how they had all taken him so readily, until Lucy had pulled him to the side and explained everything. Apparently, while she hadn't gone into details, Erza had explained to the guild that he had been in the tower at the same time as her, and when he had gotten out, it hadn't been with the best of people to guide him.

He hadn't found Fairy Tail like she had. In fact, she had been the only one. Everyone else had either perished while in the tower, or had been tortured and abused to the brink of insanity if not beyond it. Then to be taken in by someone after the tower, to be used in a quest to get power, and take over the kingdoms, and be further abused and tortured, and he hadn't been fully responsible for the things he had done. Yes, he had done them, and yes he had to live with the consequences of those actions, but not all of it laid on his shoulders.

And now he was working to atone for those actions, just as Jellal had for so long. Ultimately their work had paid off. They had been called to an audience before the King and Princess of Fiore themselves and had been pardoned and were now free men and women. To then be further asked to continue their work bringing down dark guilds in any way possible, with the understanding they'd join a guild, they had all gone their own ways to start their lives over.

He also remembered his surprise when dropping Angel off at the Sabertooth guild so she could be with her sister, the twin dragon slayers had joined the rest of crime sorciere on their journey to Fairy Tail. Soon enough they had arrived at the guild that had taught each of them a thing or two about nakama, and were pulled into the fold of the family that made up the guild.

From there it became an endless stream of memories, more good ones than bad ones. Countless injuries, aches and pains, endless laughter, brawls and parties. All of it had made Cobra into a very content dragon slayer, even if he did continue to give the impression of being a surly asshole. Hey a lifetime of practice would take more than a year to break. Not that he was inclined to break that, he rather enjoyed being an ass.

With a quiet sigh he settled onto a bar stool, lifting his hand in a casual wave to the few members that were there. They hadn't had to say anything out loud, but they knew they didn't need to. His ability to hear souls allowed for him to still be greeted. He only had to knock on the top of the bar once for a cup of hot coffee laced with bleach to be placed in front of him by Kinana.

"Morning Erik, what can I get for you?" She asked, smiling brightly at her old friend. Getting a grin of his in return, she laughed slightly, enjoying the sight.

"Morning Kina, are any of Mira's hem-cakes, bella-syrup, and cya-butter available?" He asked, using his abbreviated version of the meal he wanted. Seeing her nod, he continued. "If I can get that with some eggs, fruit, and another coffee in dragon size, that would be amazing."

"Not a problem Erik, coming right up." With that Kina left to place the order with Mira in the kitchen.

Hearing the guild doors open once more, Erik looked over his shoulder to see, and he would deny it to his last breath, his favorite trio walk in. Another memory that he enjoyed looking back on. Walking into the guild hall for the first time and being immediately greeted with a threatening growl. It hadn't taken long for him to realize that Gajeels dragon was warning the other slayers to back off. And when he had listened in, he had found the surprising news that while they were not yet claimed, or even informed, Gajeel had two mates and wasn't entirely sure what to do about it. It hadn't taken him long to hold his hands up and back up a few steps to show that he wasn't going to cause problems, and after being introduced as new members to the guild, he had decided to take mercy on the other slayers and let them know as well.

Since then, he had taken a liking to that trio and watching it come to fruition. Being there when they had announced it to the whole guild had been highly entertaining, and knowing that he had helped make it happen, in however small a manner, had made him feel good.

They had been gone a long while, and from what he picked up, their vacation hadn't gone well. Still, they were smiling, looking happy. Lily flew across the hall to zip into Levys open arms for warm hugs and ear scratches. He knew just how much the battle exceed had missed the three of them.

Picking up his cup of still hot coffee, he turned to lean back against the bar with cup in hand, smirking at the site of the little bookworm skipping backwards in front of the guys who were watching her with indulgent smiles. Even from here he could see the vibrant marks on Levy and Bix's necks, and the mixed blue and black hair that now adorned each of them was more of an indication of the bond they had. He had just opened his mouth to call out to them with some random insulting greeting, when a new scent washed over him, reaching in through the open guild doors to sucker punch him.

He could only describe the smell as...

Heaven.

It immediately brought to mind some of his favorite poisons coated in sugar, with a hint of…Apple, he loved apples, the seeds were a natural source of cyanide and one of his favorite things..

There was this quiet soothing hum. The peace in it just about intoxicating.

A pure hum that made him want to nestle down into it like a cloud bed.

Like choruses of angels singing softly, it was amazing, ordered, calm, confident and the power…intense, incredible well harnessed power purring underneath it all..

Even as he strained to hear that soul further, he wasn't aware of the trio stopping near him and watching in confusion. He didn't notice how Bix's eyes started to glow a light green as his brows furrowed in caution. He wasn't even aware of the way his mouth was partially hanging open or that the pupil of his one eye had shrunk down to a thin slit, watching the open doors of the guild hall in an odd trance.

"You know Bix, I love you and all, good little brother that you are, but I told you I was starving and we walked by what, a dozen perfectly good restaurants to come here and you leave me behind…seriously…not like I don't have a guild of my own full of rude shits to pull crap like that on me…" A voice called out through the door in minor annoyance, followed by what could be heard as confident steps. The light spilling through the door shifted slightly, casting the new comer in shadow before he stepped further into the main hall, the shadows peeling away from him like they couldn't stand to even cling to him. As he strode further into the room, an infectious grin on his face, he clapped a hand on Gajeels shoulder.

Long platinum colored hair, the top half pulled back into a pony tail to keep it off his handsome face fell over broad shoulders adorned in a pale blue and white cloak held up by distinctive council insignia pins marking the wearer a wizard saint, that explained the power he'd sensed. Full lips, sun bronzed skin and thick lashes framing eyes that were a pale lavender/gray, The man was tall too, over 6 feet and built, with a sculpted body that indicated he was likely similar to Laxus, Gajeel and Elfman in training and working his body.

He'd never seen him before, and the man had a lilting accent in a smooth silky voice that sent his nerves firing, inside of him his Dragon was slamming through his consciousness, roaring to life more than it ever had.

Cobra felt something slam into him that he had never felt before.

A loud growl erupted from him, drawing the attention of the four mages standing near him. Immediately Cobras one violet eyed gaze was locked onto a lavender gray gaze filled with awareness...and...acceptance?

Cobra felt his inner dragon slam against him mentally, roaring loudly. He never even heard the, "are you fucking kidding me?!" Yelp from Bickslow as he yanked Gajeel and Levy away from the visitor who was now looking intently at him a slow light of realization dawning in those pale colored eyes. Cobra couldn't hear anything over the roaring of his dragon, causing him to reel in confusion.

 _Minemineminemine_

 _MINE-HE IS MINE!_

All he could see was the pale lavender gaze filled with invitation, framed by platinum hair, and he knew things would never be the same. The man was taller than him, though not by much, broader shoulders, he looked like he could give Gajeel or Laxus a run for their money arm wrestling too.

"Erik…Cobra…Gods…am I really?" He breathed out in shocked amazement.

Cobra could hear his soul just purring to him and he was smiling, those pale eyes alight with fascination.

 _You can hear me can't you? I can hear your mind processing what peoples souls are saying to you, can you hear mine_?

He nodded, moving closer, he had to get closer, the scent of spicy sun warmed apples and apple blossoms hung around the man.

"I'm Kaleb…Bickslows older brother…" He said out loud.

 _Talk Erik, or think what you will, I need more than just the repetition of your dragon telling me I'm yours. I'm you mate…dear Gods I'm a dragon slayers mate…no wonder I never fell in love,_ (there was a pause and Cobra felt him casting around and happiness mixing with eagerness as thoughts formed) _…you were waiting_ …

"You can hear my..thoughts?" He asked. Out loud, his mind casting around wildly trying to absorb it all.

Kaleb nodded "I'm a Mindbender mage, I can hear, read thoughts, manipulate them, control a mind…and you hear souls…and are a Dragon Slayer…and yes I hear you…I'm your mate…I…I never would have dreamed…" Kaleb trailed off as Erik blinked at him.

Gods…his mate was a man, a tall stunning, just mouthwatering man at that…he really hadn't thought about having a mate, knew he had one out there somewhere but figured with his luck they were probably dead or lived in north Eastern Pergrande or something.

With the ratio in dragons, more than 10 males born to every single female, this was far from uncommon, but he'd been tortured at the tower of Heaven, beaten…raped by men…

Kalebs eyes widened and he stepped closer, Erik narrowing his eyes defensive, but his dragon was just…beside itself reaching for Kaleb, roaring, screaming, desperate for what was his.

 _I would never hurt you…lords Erik…I'm Boscan, every inch of me has been raised and educated to be all about the pleasures of my partner…never…I would never hurt you_ …

He heard it, it rang through Kalebs soul pure and honest and there was no deception, no hidden agendas, shining in those pale eyes was all the acceptance, patience, tenderness….attraction….Gods that mouth, he had the most perfect lips. And that scent of sun warmed apples, he was wondering if it ran all through the man, he was willing to bet he tasted as good as he smelled…

As soon as the thought formed Kalebs lips lifted in a knowing smile, the Lavender eyes darkened on him and he bent, trailing his nose along Eriks face to his ear, shudders running through the poison slayer all the way to his bones.

An image of those lips on his, those long fingered hands cupping his face while his hands slid in under that cloak to explore the tall frame beneath it, guide arms around Kalebs waist.

As soon as that image came Kaleb was sliding his hands up to cup Eriks face and his lips were slanting over his hot and parted, letting him delve his tongue past them to meet Kalebs as his hands slid from the mans firm abs around under the cloak so he could wrap his arms around him, tilting his head to get a better angle as his own lips teased Kalebs, a satisfied purr thrumming from his dragon as the kiss deepened, got hotter.

Yes…mine…my mate…

 _Yours..yes, I'm yours…dear gods you feel good…taste good…kiss me harder…love these fangs_ … _anything,…anything you want of me_ … he heard Kaleb, and as Kaleb leaned into him more his arms tightened and his pants started feeling painfully tight and that drew a delicious amused purr from Kaleb.

 _So worried because of your past, but so eager…I can make it so perfect…you'll only have to think and I can adapt…eager dragon…my dragon_

It was perfect, he didn't have to say a damn word, Kaleb heard everything, saw everything, took it in and accepted it, didn't falter, he didn't pull back, not even as images of things from the tower flashed through Eriks mind. Kaleb kept kissing him, hands in his hair, letting Eriks roam where they would on his tall body beneath the cloak.

Inside of him his dragon purred, rolled over in ecstasy as Cobras hands slid over Kaleb, as his lips moved and tongue tangled, he scraped a long fang over Kalebs lower lip and just about went to his knees at the delicious moan he got.

 _Definitely love the fangs…I never would have thought this…I imagined some woman would come along for me one day, never had a preference, but I can make this work…I can make you so very happy my dragon…MY dragon…you like it when I say that_ …

Oh Gods did he love when Kalebs soul said that, his dragon, his heart, everything in him loved it.

Finally they pulled apart, gasping for air, Cobras eye blinking, trying to focus, Kaleb trailing kisses to his ear again, he'd figured out already Cobra had a sensitive spot there.

"hard for me…you have no idea all the things I can do…" Kaleb whispered by his ear and Cobra shuddered.

He didn't live far from the guild…needed to be alone with Kaleb…needed time to just…get his head functioning past the incessant "mine"

"Erik your pancakes…" Kinana called as she pulled the plate from the window to bring it to the bar, she'd been cleaning the bottom shelf behind the bar when the little bell had rung that Cobras food was ready so she'd turned and grabbed it, turned back around and there was Erik, his arms wrapped around a tall blonde man who was nuzzling his neck and Cobras head was tipped back, eye closed just obviously deeply enjoying the experience.

The blonde pulled back smiling.

"Breakfast…sounds pretty perfect, this…" he said and he turned so his flank subtly brushed the hardness in Cobras pants "I can help with later, we both need to eat though…once I start I tend to wear people out…"

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Breakfast passed in a haze, Cobra moving to sit with Kaleb and Bix, Levy and Gajeel sitting with them, amused and amazed seeing the Poison Dragon slayer and the Wizard Saint silently interact. Neither one spoke much, they didn't need to, everything passing easily between them unsaid and Cobra had never in his life experienced such an easy, simple…wonderful exchange.

Kaleb had a deep amount of patience, and genuinely, with only a few initial moments of stunned surprise causing resistance to the whole idea of being Cobras mate. He knew what it meant, in many ways better than Cobra did, and he found himself drawing all Kaleb knew from him, amazed as images of a childhood that included a massive dark blue and silver dragon named "Nurem" the adoptive mother of Kalebs younger brother Cristoff, and a much smaller pale golden Dragon named Solastraz, adoptive father of his little sister Emzadi in Kalebs memories.

Kaleb had sat and listened, learned with his siblings about how Dragon Slayers found their mates, claimed them, how the process was a powerful one, the draw to come together powerful for both sides, the need steadily building, able to drive them mad if not appeased.

His own mind drifted unbidden to images he'd not expected his imagination to reach for. Tangled in Kalebs arms, kissing, biting, fisting his hands in that silvery blonde hair. When they came he heard Kalebs heart stutter, his breathing pick up momentarily as the mindbender caught those images and made it clear, his soul just embracing them, that he wanted it too.

Cobra wasn't sure how to bring himself there though, his entire life intimacy was just pain or disappointment. His body was heated, hot for his mate, his dragon wild inside him throughout the hour or so they spent getting breakfast.

 _Mine!...take him…mark him…he's perfect, so many others would want him it must be NOW_!

The drive was so hard, harder by the minute until he was inching closer, pressing his thigh against Kalebs, a hand stealing down and closing over the hard muscle, fingers reaching between, brushing over his center and smirking faintly when his mates breath caught and there was the distinct twitch of that length he was tracing with his fingers at his touch.

 _Erik…I'm yours…I know it…I want it…I want you_ … Kalebs voice was like silk in his head and Cobra closed his eyes, rising. "Let's go…we need to…talk." He said roughly. Kaleb didn't hesitate, stood with him and followed him from the guild, walking alongside him silently, letting the mans fears and concerns crash over him, trying to sort through it all and keep his own soul calm, open.

He was already committed, invested, knew he had to be, and seeing with every step to just what lengths the Poison Slayer would need his commitment to reach. It was fine though, he was fine with all of it. This wasn't going to be a simple case of Dragon lust over riding everything and them fucking each others brains out, much as Kaleb would have been fine with that, Erik was probably the best looking man he'd ever laid eyes on.

Lithe muscular build, thick maroon hair, and Gods did he have a weakness for red heads, always had…maybe this was why.

Cobra led him up to his apartment and Kaleb stepped past him into it, smiling at the spacious studio, it fit Cobra, and showed the mans desires for comfortable homey things in the pillow laden bay window seat, Plush looking bedding, overstuffed recliner and couch.

Potted poisonous plants dotted the space, well cared for, the place was spotless. When he turned he met a burning indigo gaze, felt the lust writhing inside the man and prodded gently at him to see where his thoughts were, all he met was the dragon and he tilted his head, stepping back as Cobra started stalking toward him.

Exposing his neck in submission, he still kept his gaze locked with Cobras, just enough challenge to keep the dragon rising, this was going to be a delicate dance and Kaleb knew it.

His legs hit the edge of the bed and he waited, letting Cobra close more distance before sliding himself onto the bed so Cobra had to climb over him, he turned his head completely then, averting his eyes to let Cobra lunge in, heated lips closing on his neck and he couldn't stop the soft moan that was pulled out of him.

Gods help him, the man smelled amazing, his weight on top of him was just…ideal, pushing him down but still giving him the ability to move well. He knew instinctively how Cobra would need to take him, and imagining it made fire flare through his body, the desire for that, the need for it so strong the image passed into Cobras mind and the Dragon Slayer growled, heart racing, seeing Kaleb beneath him writhing while he plunged himself into that tall powerful body the way he would need to in order to claim him.

The Dragon in him sang in eager joy at the idea while his own fears, painful memories of being taken that way himself flared up like ice on the fires.

 _Those times were meant to hurt…Erik…you won't hurt me…I want this…I want you to take me…this isn't torture its mating…pure delicious…mating_ … Kalebs silken voice soothed through him and the image was back in all it's blazing hot glory and Cobra was yanking open Kalebs white leather jerkin, the silk shirt beneath rending effortlessly and Cobra was presented with a wide powerfully built chest adorned with runes, symbols, bob tailed panthers stalking through them. Over his heart Kaleb bore the seal of the Immaculate Light, the looped top cross in white and gold with crossed swords behind it.

Smooth sun bronzed skin was warm under his lips and tongue and he closed his eye, letting himself enjoy it, his hands sliding down Kalebs sides, he drew in deep breaths of the mans apple-like scent delighted to find his skin had a distinct sweet tang to it too.

He shifted back up from pressing open mouthed kisses over taught abs, lips sealing over Kalebs, hands fisting in that blonde hair as he devoured his mouth, groaning at the taste of him, the feel of the tongue sliding over his own. The steady calm, the wide open acceptance, the desire, need, aching burning need to have him coming through strong and clear from the man beneath him.

It was shaking him to his core, he was so hard it hurt, his cock straining against his jeans, he pulled back to suck in air and Kalebs lips trailed over his face, long fingers threading into his hair and instead of his usual instant aversion to touch Cobra almost purred at the feeling as Kaleb nuzzled in alongside his face, lips and tongue teasing the sensitive flesh under his ear then closing over the golden hoop through his lobe drawing a ragged moan out of him and he was gripping Kalebs hips, suddenly grinding himself into the man, feeling Kaleb just as hard as he was, their lengths rubbing against each other through the fabric of their clothes.

The sensation sent bolts of pleasure all through Cobra and he groaned, repeating the action, Kalebs legs spread, letting him settle in between his thighs and then they were pressing more directly against each other, Kaleb moving his own hips against Cobras as he continued his gentle but burning assault on his ear. He had only the one hand up, threading through Cobras hair, careful not to pull or hold on to him as much as he wanted to, and though his other hand itched to reach up and start removing Cobras clothes he knew to wait, sensed there was this painfully fine line they were already flirting with.

If all Cobra could manage was this, some hot heavy making out, well, Kaleb would take it, it was a start. He wanted so much more, wanted to feel every inch of the Dragon Slayer, his whole being wanted it and he let that resonate, knowing Cobra felt every bit of it.

Since he couldn't strip his lover, he reached in and undid his own clothes, delighted when Cobra picked up on it and greedy hands left their exploration of his torso and sides to pushing his pants down, when Cobras shaking fingers closed on his freed erection he groaned at the sensations sent through him and felt Cobras passion stutter, fear, doubt pushing in from that fine line and he hummed softly into his ear sending a shiver through him.

His own hand sought out the bulge in Cobras pants, delicately tracing the rigid length straining against the denim, Cobras hips bucking involuntarily, a ragged moan escaping him.

 _If you can't take me now…let me feel you…let me give you pleasure…please Erik_ …

That soft acceptance of the barrier Cobra couldn't quite breach, the offer laden with hope and desire, he nodded and Kaleb shifted, laying Erik back and his pants were removed, he tensed when Kaleb started opening his shirt but relaxed under those warm lavender/gray eyes, he would do anything for that look.

Kaleb opened his shirt, initially surprised Cobra was fine with the removal of his boots pants and boxers but stiffened over the shirt until he saw the lash marks, places where cigarettes had been put out in his skin, the edges of lash marks reaching around over the mans side told of what was likely all over his back.

Memories were all along the edges of the small pocket of desire and need and yearning they were operating in. Kaleb kissed down his torso, gliding soft touches over the scars, humming and trailing his tongue over several of the marks marring the smooth caramel colored skin. He shed his own shirt and jerkin, yanked the tie free that was keeping his hair back so it fell forward and Cobra could get his hands into the silken lengths, it was the distraction that kept the doubts at bay long enough for Kaleb to work his way down that lithe muscular body and finally wrap his fingers around Cobras rigid member, get his lips around the head.

"Oh…Fuck!" Cobra gasped, hands tightening in Kalebs long hair. Kaleb purred as Cobra hips thrust up from the mattress, seeking to bury himself deeper in Kalebs mouth. All his experience, all he knew he brought to bear to pleasure the writhing Poison Slayer beneath him, he'd show him how much he wanted him, how his body did not repulse him, that the passion was real and just how good a sexual experience could feel.

He knew Eriks doubts about sex, damn near mourned any human being having such a poor image of such a beautiful thing in their minds. Erik couldn't believe Kaleb would get pleasure from their union because he'd never experienced that kind of pleasure himself from sex. Well, Kaleb was going to fix that.

Eriks eye alternated between wide open and slammed shut, he gripped Kalebs hair, not even realizing he reached a point where he was thrusting up into Kalebs mouth while pulling the man down on him, but Kaleb didn't mind it at all, just adjusted himself so he could take all of Cobra in with ease, worked his tongue and teeth over the mans rigid length hungrily, fondling his balls tugging and sucking when he pulled back, humming into his flesh.

"Shit…fuck!..I'm…I…" Cobra was gasping raggedly.

 _Cum for me…let me taste you_ …. Kalebs silken voice purred in his head and that was it, he came, total bliss washing through his body, his cock bursting in Kalebs mouth shooting into his throat and then the feel of him swallowing around him made Cobra hiss and groan more as waves of pleasure burned through every nerve.

When Kaleb had worked every drop out of him he released his softening member and started trailing slow kisses up his sweat slicked body, taking in the heaving chest and dazed smile he was getting with immense pleasure.

"So..sex….still think it's only mildly pleasurable?" The blonde asked slyly and Cobra laughed.

"That…holy fuck…that wasn't sex, that was a religious experience." Cobra panted.

"Nothing compared to how other things feel when done right I promise you." Kaleb responded, laying alongside Cobra who was skimming his eyes down the mans now naked body.

"I…I wouldn't mind…learning…" Cobra admitted.

Kaleb smirked at him "Well..I wouldn't mind helping you and providing a willing body for you to learn on…"

Cobra narrowed his eye, reaching down to stroke Kalebs still hard length, feeling a little guilty Kaleb had just given him one hell of a lot of pleasure, more than he'd ever even imagined possible, and he himself had gotten little more than a few gropes and kisses.

He wanted to do more, he really did, he was just so afraid of inflicting pain, of doing something wrong with this man who was…his…his mate…the person meant to share his soul, his life.

Kaleb laid back though inviting Cobra to do whatever he was comfortable with, gently reaching down and guiding his hand on him, letting himself react fully, holding nothing back because Cobra needed to see how much pleasure he could bring.

"Tell me…if I do…anything wrong.." Cobra breathed, fascinated watching his mate arch his head back, lips parting, eyes closing in obvious enjoyment of his awkward touches.

"I love your touch…just do…whatever you feel you want to…it's hard to…ahh…mess up." Kaleb breathed and Cobras cheeks flushed feeling himself getting aroused again just watching his mate react to him.

He shifted over Kaleb then, kneeing beside him, finally drawn down to kiss over the smooth skin, the elaborate tattoos that provided almost a map to pleasurable places he could suck and nibble at, the panther on the front of Kalebs hip soon had small bruises around it, teeth marks on it. Sliding his thumb over the head of Kalebs erection, gliding the clear pre-cum down and around the head he finally lunged in and took the head into his mouth eagerly, the scent of him was so thick, the arousal was too tempting, and that tangy apple taste burst over his tongue and he moaned, sucking greedily at Kalebs rigid velvety length, drawing gasps and a string of silken praises into his head from his mate.

Images guided him then, he knew Kaleb was sending them and he followed some, elaborating or changing some to fit what he felt most driven to try.

Kaleb fisted his hands in the blankets, he couldn't touch the man that was working his body into a frenzy, if he did he'd potentially shatter Cobras pleasure, and right now, Cobra was very much enjoying what he was doing, loving Kalebs reactions, his inner dragon delighted at bringing so much pleasure to their mate, screaming endlessly for more, Kaleb saw too the images the dragon soul pushed hard into Cobras very being, to move over Kaleb, slam his legs apart and thrust into his body, to fuck him hard until he came then sink his fangs into him and set that mark, seal that bond.

Claim him, utterly, completely make Kaleb his forever, that was the Dragon Souls input. But Cobras insecurities and nightmares ran deep, and while he wanted to take Kaleb, deeply wanted to, he just wasn't there, he'd only met him hours ago, and even the press of his Dragon Soul couldn't make Cobras trust move faster.

This though, giving and receiving pleasure, this he could do, there was just pleasure, and Cobra was finding he liked this, oral sex he was fine with, could really enjoy…and Kaleb wasn't complaining, when one of Cobras fangs trailed up his length he almost lost himself right then.

"Fuck!...oh Gods do that again…" He begged and Cobra smirked, repeating the action, adding his fingers stroking and fondling until Kaleb finally clenched his teeth, warning Cobra mentally he was coming apart, letting him decide what he wanted and the Poison Slayer plunged down over him, sucking at him harder, taking all he had to give.

Now Cobra got to sit back and take in Kalebs heaving chest, run his hand up the mans sweaty skin, the knowledge he'd done that, brought his mate to completion was deeply satisfying.

It certainly wasn't what he knew of sex either, all he'd ever had was nothing like what they had just shared, this was moving…deep…he liked it, wanted more, and slid down wrapping his arms around Kaleb, slanting his lips over the full warm lips of his mate and drinking him in, feeling Kalebs arms slide around him, holding him firmly against his tall body, it felt safe…warm and right. For hours they just touched, kissed, Kaleb finally getting Cobra to lay on his belly so he could trail his hands over the marred flesh of his back, press kisses over the scars, take in his mates flinches, feelings of being hideous, and defective and ease them with his own acceptance.

This was so far from what he'd thought he'd be doing today it was insane. He should be in Makarovs office, working on the business of creating the sisterhood between their guilds, but none of that was as important as what he was doing right then. Not to him, Cobra had suddenly become the single most important thing in the young Guild Masters life. It was a staggering realization but one he knew was true.

Never in his life had Kaleb had to lay himself open as much as he did for Cobra, so the man could see, understand he wanted him scars included, faults, quirks, nasty temper, sarcastic ass side, all of it. Kaleb had never thought he'd had a particularly easy life, yes, he was the son of a king, but his father had made all of his children work for what they had. Nothing had just been given to them beyond their titles.

Beyond what their Island home required of them.

He'd always worked hard, sacrificed for what mattered to him. He would sacrifice now, take on a co-master to White Sea, train them, give up the one thing he had fought so hard to earn, so he could be with Erik. He was already planning all he would have to do in order for this to work.

As formerly a dark mage of the Oracian Seis, of the Bellum alliance of dark guilds, Cobra could not move to Bosco territories because he was still wanted there, his crimes had been pardoned in Fiore, but his former guild had not been pardoned anywhere else. His father could probably make it work in Archipelago, and his own island, Aigne, would of course be safe for his mate, but White Sea would need a new master in Bosco, Kaleb would take over the branch in Archipelago, run the sisterhood with Fairy Tail, manage the international work of the guild, and hand over the main operations in Bosco to another, he would have to, because he couldn't live without Cobra, he already knew it, already felt it.

It was a lot he would have to do, a lot he would have to sacrifice, but he felt no hesitation, only a pressing need to see it done, to bind himself to the person in his arms, whose kisses were making him dizzy, whose hands were like heaven. Yet all he'd done, all he'd fought for in his life paled in comparison to what Erik had done, had been forced to do, born a slave, beaten and tortured as he'd grown up, subjugated through force and torture to the will of one madman and then another.

Nobody, and Kaleb realized this in awe, knew just how badly Cobra had suffered, what all he had endured, even the people he had gone through it with, he had shielded them, all of them, taken on more beatings, more torture to spare them and they didn't know because Cobra would never tell them.

Being the kind of man he was, Kaleb couldn't help but be in awe of his soon to-be mate, to love the man immediately for who he really was underneath all the layers of pain and self-preserving hardness. How could he not?

Cobra felt those things too, through the bond that was now rapidly growing. He felt what Kaleb was feeling. When they left the bed to clean up, Kaleb chuckled at his shredded clothes.

"Your fault." Cobra snapped when he held up the ruined shirt Cobra had ripped apart after getting the Jerkin open. At least the Jerkin was still intact, so he'd just wear that sans a shirt beneath it.

They ordered in, Kalebs aid bringing him a bag of fresh clothes before his master sent him away with firm orders not to contact him until he let him know otherwise.

"Send word to Gaza I want her to prepare to come here, I need to meet with her soon. Notify Rek at Guild Home I may be gone longer than expected and that he is to direct immediate issues to Gaza. When your done with all of that, notify me through text only on the Lacrima, relax, maybe visit the bath house they have just outside town or something until I'm ready to resume work." He'd ordered. Thane had nodded, bowed, jotted down notes and left.

They ate sitting in the bay window, spreading the take out containers between them and talked. Kaleb laying out some of what he was going to need to do, keeping it basic because he didn't want Erik overwhelmed. Once they finished eating Erik turned and was pulled back against Kalebs chest to sit between the larger mans legs and they just sat, looking out through the window. Cobra rubbing his hand over Kalebs leg, Kaleb carding the fingers of his hand through Cobras hair.

There was need, deep burning, growing need, the Dragon Soul had not relented at all, still desperate for Cobra to make his claim, to take his mate, and they both felt it, both heard it. But Kaleb was willing to wait, and Cobra needed more time, so they would wait.

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He'd never slept with anyone before. Never laid in a bed with another person and slept, and while the idea had alarmed him, once they were laying on his bed, and he was leaning over the blonde, quietly playing with his long hair, trying to sort through the riot of things in his head, he decided it didn't sound horrible.

Kalebs presence was soothing, more so than anyone he'd ever been around, and he laid back on the bed in nothing but some loose sleep pants that rested a little low on his hips, low enough the panther on his hip that Cobra had decorated with teeth marks earlier could be seen. He knew he had free rein, Kaleb had told him so, Kalebs soul told him so, he was free to touch, to do anything he wanted with the tall man beside him, yet he held back, uncertain about how to proceed. Sex for him had usually not been consensual, and until earlier today, never really all that pleasurable either, usually it was simple torture, a way to violate him, humiliate him, bring him down and control him.

He needed…control. His dragon wasn't really giving him that, he felt out of control, badly, and was afraid he'd hurt Kaleb, or somehow just be so bad in what he tried to do he'd put the man off. Kalebs soul told him that wasn't possible, Kaleb told him there was not much he could do wrong, and he'd really, really enjoyed what they had done earlier.

Still, how to achieve the control he needed without reining in his dragon so much the mating wouldn't take was the issue.

Kaleb stretched on the bed then, hands reaching up and grabbing the headboard while he did so and the display of rigid muscle moving under that tanned skin stirred Cobra, made him grit his teeth and bite back a hungry growl.

The image came to him then, of Kaleb bound to that bed, hands tied over his head, ankles bound to the bottom corners and it stirred him so much he had to close his eye, felt his fangs itch. Holy Hell the idea of Kaleb tied down while he, had his way with that tall body, Kaleb unable to interfere, just Cobra, unleashed on him, touching him, kissing him…taking him.

Kaleb hummed softly, and lavender gray eyes met his. "So tie me down…" He said huskily and Cobra smiled faintly, "Not…yet…but maybe….maybe later.." He said shakily. Gods Kaleb had no reservations at all, it was unnerving to the Poison slayer.

He'd never thought himself prudish or shy, far from it, he indulged in perverted thoughts plenty, he'd be lying if he claimed he hadn't had dreams and fantasies staring various guild members, male and female both. But they were just dreams, fantasies, in reality he wasn't prepared to confront much.

So, they just held each other, and Cobra slept for the first time with someone beside him, and honestly, shockingly, had the best nights sleep he'd had in a long time. There was a lot to be said for having a warm body to wrap himself around, all the scars in his skin made him more susceptible to getting cold, and Kaleb was so warm.

Instead of waking up and clutching blankets around himself, he woke with his face buried in silver/blonde hair, legs tangled with Kalebs, he pushed in closer against the warmth too, drinking it in with the warm apple scent. Kaleb smiled faintly, humming "Your feet are like ice…" He observed when Cobra pressed one against Kalebs warm calf.

"You're so damn warm." He growled.

"And you like it." Was the calm response

"Fuck you."

"Yes please, I'm a fan of good morning sex."

That he laughed at. Couldn't help himself, also couldn't stop himself from sliding on top of the taller man and claiming that laughing mouth of his. Kaleb wrapped a leg around his hips as he ground into him and the humor was gone in an instant, consumed by the sudden flare of his dragon lust.

He rolled his hips, thrusting against Kaleb, rubbing their rapidly hardening erections against each other. The silk sleep pants on Kaleb and flannel on Cobra very thin as a barrier and sensation shot all through him, pleasure making him moan as his fangs lengthened in his mouth.

 _Fuck I love those fangs_ … was Kalebs response when he nipped at the mans full lips.

Cobra bucked into him, consumed then, needing him, he just couldn't quite take that extra step, couldn't remove the barriers and just complete the process, take the Mind mage and claim him.

Kaleb tried, started to push their clothes out of the way but Cobra tensed and he abandoned the idea immediately, instead moving against his lover, encouraging him to take all he could, gripping Cobras ass and pushing his feet into the mattress to make them press harder into each other until, panting, snarling, Cobra sank his fangs into Kalebs neck and came, groaning into the mans flesh as his blood bathed his tongue in a salty divine burst of flavor that was unique, intoxicating, light, magic, Kalebs essence filling his mouth for him to consume.

It wasn't mating, the mark wouldn't set unless their bodies were joined, but something clicked into place strongly, both of them felt it. The pain had stars dancing across Kalebs vision, and his fingers digging into Cobras muscled ass, his own pleasure gone in a wash of exquisite pain. No orgasm or union of bodies to provide any buffer to the feel of a Dragon Slayers bite or Cobras venom.

It was Kalebs magic that saved him in the moments that followed, Cobras bite would have killed most anyone else, poison unique to him, without the actual mating to buffer or protect his mate, would have killed, should have killed him in moments and alarm ripped through Cobra as soon as he realized what he'd done.

Jerking back he willed antivenins into his fangs and sank them into Kalebs shoulder as the man groaned under the onslaught of the venom.

 _No…it's ok….I'm a Knight Erik…Immaculate light…flows in my veins_ …

Kalebs calm reassurance was little comfort as he pumped antivenin through his fangs into his mate to-be. He felt it though, the light flowing through Kaleb, that saturated the man, that had turned dark brown hair platinum blonde and deep dark steel colored eyes a soft lavender/gray purified toxins, nullified poisons, the venom couldn't work on him, strong as it was, his body purified it even as Cobras antivenins flowed in to do the job.

"Shit…fuck…I'm so…so sorry…"Cobra breathed, shaking, pushing blonde hair away from the flushed face, afraid to even kiss him now because of how toxic he knew his mouth could be.

Kaleb drew deep breaths, the pain was fading, his own magic and what Cobra had done washing away the effects, the bite in his neck though still tingled, burned.

"Heh, close…just gotta get you naked." He smirked and Cobra groaned, letting his head fall onto Kalebs shoulder then jerking away when the man winced because his forehead hit where he'd bitten him to pump the antivenins in.

"FUCK! I just keep sticking my fucking foot in it." Cobra cursed, rolling away, shedding his soiled clothes and tossing them into the hamper by the bathroom with a snarl.

"It's ok…I'm ok…I'm meant for you…your dragon picked someone you could do that to Erik….if I wasn't able to deal with toxins and poisons, venoms and the like, I sure as hell wouldn't have been who a Poison Dragon chose. Damn…this bite feels weird though…" He admitted, running his finger over the mark on his neck.

Cobra frowned, he didn't know if that meant anything…"It shouldn't feel any different than the other one…" He said but even as he said it he wasn't sure, he'd felt something happen when he'd bitten him, more than just his own damn orgasm…and shit, he'd done it again, gotten off and left Kaleb with nothing.

Nothing but an aching neck.

"Knock it off, I'm fine, quit beating yourself up, we have to work through all of this…and I won't lie, I don't' expect you're going to be rocking my world for bit…" He paused, smirking at Cobras frown "I sure as hell will try to rock yours though." He vowed.

Cobra narrowed his eyes "Cocky son of a bitch aren't ya?"

Kaleb nodded, sliding off the bed and starting toward him, his look predatory enough Cobras breath sped out of him.

"Oh I know what I'm capable of…we just need to get you to where you can relax and enjoy it, then…" He stopped in front of Cobra, sliding a hand up to cup his face and leaning in until their noses touched "then you can rock my world…my dragon." He purred and Cobra pressed in, crashing their lips together.

They showered together, and Cobra was on his knees in the shower, Kaleb cursing and gasping and almost losing his feet under the Poison slayers much more vigorous assault on his body than the shy efforts of the day before.

"Sweet Gods of light…I take it back..I felt some world rocking happen." Kaleb panted and Cobra grinned, feeling a little vindicated, at least he'd made up some of the mess he'd made that morning.

They went out into Magnolia, Kaleb wanting to see the city that would become his home and Cobra happy to show it to him. They didn't notice the narrow eyes from roof tops, peering out from alleys, both men too consumed in the confusing and overwhelming change to both their lives that they were facing.

Under normal circumstances, Cobra would have heard them, noticed them, but he was drowned in chaotic thoughts of his own, when he'd reach out it was always for Kaleb, for the sweet music and calm that was his intended mates soul. It drowned out everything else if he focused on it, was immediately Cobras newest and best refuge from the onslaught of souls he usually had to just grit his teeth and endure.

Kaleb was just as distracted, the prospect of being a Dragon Slayers mate had never even crossed his mind. He was third prince of Archipelago, Guild Master of White Sea, fifth Wizard Saint of Bosco and a Knight of the Immaculate Light, royal guard to the King of Bosco, stewart of the island of Aigne, a Mindbender mage double s Century class. That was who he had always been. He'd recently let his father start quietly looking into arranging a marriage for him even, since he was just too busy to try to date or look for someone himself and Guild Masters were supposed to marry, so were princes for that matter.

He'd worked hard to get where he was, and now…now he just…well…whatever he had to do, he had to make a life with Cobra happen. It was like someone had thrown a huge bomb right into the middle of his existence, but he couldn't find even a bit of a single fuck to give about that. Whatever happened, the thing he knew without a doubt, was he had to be with Cobra.

First thing was completing mating and that in itself was a challenge with all his intended had been through. Damn if it wasn't getting to him too, he wasn't a terribly submissive person by nature, he was a man of power and used to wielding a lot of it, but for this, he felt himself willing to be whatever his mate needed, eager to be whatever he needed.

So neither man noticed shadows moving.

Ruger sneered faintly "That's him, the blonde, Guildmaster of White Sea…holy shit he's pretty…boss wants him, him and fucking Kurogane, I ain't touchin that fuck, I'll help with the Prince there, you shits swipe the Dragon Slayer. We don't have a lot of time, fuckin' Fairies have some teams due in tomorrow so if we don't move today we're at bigger risk."

Quince made a face. "I really don't like fucking with White Sea…seriously, we've been off their scope and that's been nice, we mess with their Guild Master and it won't just be the Fairies after us anymore."

"Just do your job, Boss wants those two, we swipe 'em. The coven is waiting to help so even Kurogane won't be an issue, Black Steel ain't shit against a Succubus high priestess like Luralye. Just get into position, soon as those two reach the park they're heading to, we're taking them down and snatching that Prince." Ross snapped waving to the others who moved swiftly through the darkened alley.

As they passed they dropped into the guild for drinks and so Kaleb could check in with Makarov. Cobra watched the blonde follow the Master to his office, heaving a sigh as he sat at the bar to wait for him.

"So…that mark…it's not complete…" a voice said quietly.

He turned sharply, narrowed eye on Gajeel.

"Not your business." He snapped. Today, unless it was Kaleb, he had found he had next to no patience with anyone, the realtor had damn near been poisoned.

"It is..actually, Kaleb is my mates brother…so he's family. Look, I know you weren't raised by a dragon, so nobody taught you this shit, but once your dragon picks…you need to make a move, the sooner the better, trust me, it just gets harder, more miserable the longer you wait and you may be OK with that, but Kalebs a good guy, and he'll be one hell of a mate for you, but he doesn't deserve to go through how much it sucks to wait, and you put a claim into him there, bit him…that's a mark of intent…makes everything go into overdrive with the magic, you're gonna feel shit a hundred times worse than if you hadn't done that." Gajeel explained. He was making a real effort to be civil, to explain it plainly, he didn't want to piss Cobra off and meant no offense, Cobra gathered all of that with one quick listen into the other slayers soul.

"Yeah, well, we're working on it…" He responded, trying to keep his annoyance, his pissed off growling dragon side in check. He KNEW it was harder than it had been, he'd been walking around all day alternating between being so turned on he wanted to fuck Kaleb in public, and so aggressive he just wanted to kill something or maybe slam his dick in a door a few dozen times so it would start trying to drive him insane.

"An unclaimed mate is vulnerable, an unclaimed but marked mate…even more so, you turn on the lust and don't give it an outlet, it can send 'em haywire Cobra, make his magic act up, all sorts of shit can happen, he's weakened in this state…I'm just telling you so you know…so you don't wait too long and regret it…I regret waiting, I almost lost Bickslow because I waited, wouldn't wish that on anyone." The other slayer said plainly.

Cobra drew a breath, keeping a hold on his temper, Gajeel was only trying to help, had no idea the problems Cobra was dealing with.

"Ok…thanks…I'll handle it…he's MY mate, I'll deal with it my way." He said slowly, but the dangerous edge was there in his voice, letting Gajeel know he was treading a thin line right then. Cobra was out with his marked unclaimed mate, to Gajeel it seemed crazy, hugely risky, anything could set Cobra off, and Kaleb would be off balance, so wound up because of the unsettled magic coursing through him he'd have little chance of being much help.

Kaleb returned then, and Cobra lingered just long enough for the man to greet Gajeel and wave to his brother before ushering him out again.

"Southgate Park." Kaleb said, glancing up at the sign as they walked. Cobra smiled "They raise mostly safe stuff but have a section toward the back by this fountain where there's some oleander. I'd like to grab some, makes good tea."

Kaleb shrugged, it was fine with him. He was enjoying the afternoon. They'd spent the whole day so far wandering Magnolia, talking. Even dropped into a realtors and on a whim looked at some bigger apartments. Cobra wanted to stick with something that had upper stories, preferring being above street level. Kaleb didn't really care, he just knew Cobras studio apartment wouldn't work in the long run once they were mated.

Angling through some lower branches into the more secluded area he could hear the fountain Cobra had mentioned before they reached it. The smell of flowers was heavy in the air.

"How'd the talk with the Master go?" Cobra asked. Kaleb smiled "As well as expected, we're working through all the paperwork involved in creating this guild sisterhood. It sounds simple but we're sort of forging a new path, breaking ground with this, so everything has to be done just so, that way, if other guilds want to do this, the groundwork is already laid in for them."

Cobra nodded, smiling as they reached the fountain that had some nice benches and was flanked by some large oleander. Kaleb reached past him, breaking off one of the vivid blooms, the scent mingling with his own warm apple and making Cobras senses kick into overdrive.

He grabbed the blondes arm and turned him, stepping right into him and grabbing a fist full of platinum hair to bring Kalebs mouth to his hungrily. Kaleb hummed in approval, lips parting on Cobras first demand so he could thoroughly taste that apple flavor Kaleb had. Spread the acidic tang of his own unique flavor against Kalebs tongue, making the dragon magic surge through both of them. Kaleb felt his thoughts haze. Over the course of the day, since Cobra had bitten him, he'd had steadily more trouble thinking about anything but sex. Usually he could control his desires just fine, but this was overwhelming, this burning incessant need that just grew and grew with each passing hour.

He needed Cobra like air now, the press on long canines against his lips, the feel of those sharp tips when he swept his tongue along the top of Cobras mouth made him groan with need. He was going to go insane waiting for this mating, he just burned everywhere wanting to be taken.

"Fuck that's hot…"

Cobra whirled with a snarl, claws lengthening, ready to kill whoever had just interrupted him. His reaction was swift, but not swift enough.

He felt the hold, it hit him hard and fast, vines shooting up from the ground encasing him in an instant. He wrenched inside them, his body was already wound tight, his mind a little muddied, lust had his vision and thinking cloudy but not so much he couldn't fight. He sank his claws and fangs into the vines, felt them start shriveling, heard the green mage who had used them gasp.

When the vines fell from his head he could hear, feel Kaleb fighting but he couldn't turn to see, he wanted to, but the first thing his eye caught was the glowing blue eyes of the tall white haired woman who stood by the fountain. Her hair streaked with a deep dark red, long red nails, blood red lips, she was a vision of cold, deadly…succubus.

"Oh you two are just..dripping energy…like meals being spoon fed to me….yes little slayer, gaze long into my eyes and sleep, sleep the dreamless slumber I need you in…" She purred and Cobra fought it, with all he had he struggled against the alluring haze that edged into his consciousness, unable to look away from those glowing blue eyes or even blink.

"Shit, Blondie is hot as fuck….oh man…boss is gonna love you little dragon…if you hadn't weakened him we'd never have gotten this shot…bastards too fucking strong…easy guys, don't kill him…" A man beside the succubus was talking, Cobra heard every word, from the side in his peripheral vision he saw four men dragging Kaleb, saw blood on the white leather, watched as one of them gripped his silvery hair and wrenched his head back.

A man whose eyes glowed like the woman holding Cobra transfixed smiled and leaned over Kaleb as he struggled and Kaleb stilled. "N…no!" He heard his intended rasp out furiously "Incubus…fuck you…"

"Oh you will…Gods you're gorgeous…look at his hair Luralye…he's just…beautiful…pity we need to bleed you before we can start really enjoying you…oh that Dragon Lust…it's just…delicious…" The Incubus purred, and Cobra snarled, unable to move, but beyond enraged as the man leaned down and pressed his lips to Kalebs.

"It is….too bad we only need a small bit from this one…bleed him so we can be on our way. The Iron slayer will be in the open soon." The blue eyed woman said sternly.

"Shit…Boss might want a go with blondie…" The man beside the priestess observed.

"He'll get whatever he wants, as long as we can start harvesting from him, he's a Wizard Saint, Royalty of the Islands, and dripping Dragon Lust, I could feed a dozen coven members a day off him alone for a month or more." The woman smiled. Cobras whole being fought, they were taking him, taking Kaleb, his mate!

What they were talking about…it couldn't happen, he couldn't let it happen but he couldn't move so much as a muscle.

"Don't worry little dragon." The woman said as he felt someone cut away one sleeve of his jacket and shirt and a thick needle rammed into his arm.

"We'll keep your pretty would have been mate alive. He's too beautiful to kill…to valuable…once these men have the blood they want from him…we'll feed off the lust you've planted…" She grinned.

"Oh his orgasms are going to be…delectable…"The incubus was saying, bending to kiss Kaleb again, Kaleb was no longer thrashing, no longer moving, his pale eyes closed. The other man helping to hold the Mind mage was unfastening Kalebs jerkin, pulling the leather open and the Incubus chuckled, sliding it down the blondes muscular arms and tossing it to the man beside the woman.

"Such a body….oh little dragon…you had this in your bed all night and didn't finish your claim?" There was laughter.

"Couldn't get it up…yeah..well…won't be a problem for any of us I promise you…we only got a little of that other Prince…club wasn't a good place for much fun, but once we get this pretty thing back to the Coven lair? Fuck yeah…" The man laughed.

"Shut your face Ruger, don't talk about where we're going or what we're doing you ass." The man gathering Kalebs legs and helping carry him off snapped.

"He ain't gonna remember shit, probly gonna go ape shit nuts when he finally wakes up and finds his unclaimed mate really is gone, huh, that bond they get…hey Luralye…think he'll feel all your coven members fucking his mate?" Ruger asked.

"Yes the bond is there enough, I can feel it between them, He'll know what we're doing to the Prince. Move, we've enough of the Dragon Slayers blood for your purposes and I can't use him. He'd be too much of a risk and distraction for his would have been mate. It's important they stay apart, it will keep them both weakened, and the Prince addled enough he'll be easy to use." Luralye sneered and there was a sudden surge in the blue light pulsing into Cobra through his unblinking eye and then he knew nothing more.

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His runs were a way he cleared his head, he hadn't been able to take a run out to his cabin in way too long. Lily went out every week, but even the exceed preferred living in the house by the market district. He preferred early evenings this time of year. Bickslow would have gone with him but opted to stay at the Guild with Levy and catch up with his team.

After his talk with Cobra, he'd warned Bickslow about what was going on with his brother, and made a point to warn the other Dragon Slayers that were in, Natsu and his team were out on a mission, much to Levys dismay since she'd wanted to see Lucy.

The twin dragons were also out, but Laxus and Wendy got earfuls. Wendy wide eyed when he told them Cobra had set a bite but hadn't claimed Kaleb yet, so had basically become a walking powder keg.

He jogged down the path toward his cabin lost in his thoughts until he suddenly noticed something…a scent…blood and…apples…

Picking up his pace he rounded the next bend and came up abruptly, eyes widening. There was a body in the road, just, laying there. It took him a moment but he realized it was Kaleb, in nothing but the jeans he'd seen the man in earlier, his white leather jerkin gone, leaving him topless, he didn't even have shoes or socks on his feet, and he smelled of blood….

"Kaleb?" His senses were dulled, and he felt it happen , it was subtle but not subtle enough, something, some power edged in on him and he spun, lashing out. There was nobody there, a laugh behind him made him whirl again and this time he met the glowing blue eyes of a tall woman with red streaked white hair.

He couldn't move…every muscle in his body seized, and a moment later, a familiar man with reddish hair stepped out…he couldn't remember the mans name, but he had been one of the four who had taken Levy, the one who had sat on the desk. The one whose fist had finally knocked her out while the other two were raping her.

"Kurogane. You know, I'm glad to meet you finally. Our boss wants to have a word with you. You're gonna have a choice we're not giving blondie here, so you should feel happy about that." The man said.

"No wasting time, Dragon Slayers are harder to contain than regular mages, that second soul is a hassle. Sleep Iron Dragon…we will talk soon enough." The woman said, and Gajeel felt the world slip away from him in a matter of moments.

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Bickslow and Levy were grinning. Levy was in a game of speed chess with Freed, a small stack of jewel on the table.

"Come on angel, you beat Freed and I'm taking you shopping for new dresses with the jewel we win…" Bickslow said eagerly.

"Don't start shopping yet…" Freed frowned, narrowing his eyes on the board.

"Watching a game of chess is a little more interesting than watching paint dry…seriously, can't we play something else?" Cana whined.

Levy was about to say something smart, was opening her mouth to but no sound came out and her eyes flew wide, acute pain causing her to curl in on herself. Beside her, Bickslow froze, eyes clenching shut, a pained look stealing his grin followed by a gasp and him gripping Levys shoulder.

Laxus was immediately on his feet. "What? What the fuck just happened? Did Freed cheat?" He demanded.

"Gajeel….something happened…I can't feel him…" Levy breathed, Bickslow wasn't handling it as well.

"Just like when you were taken Angel…oh God….where is he?! Lily! Which way does Gajeel go when he takes his runs to the cabin?!" Bickslow demanded, already scrambling to his feet, he looked at Pantherlily who was sitting near the chess board, his own jewel having been laid down during the game.

"The path along the hills…more climbs and dips to vary the run…"Lily said and then everyone was moving.

Laxus was glaring minutes later, eyes closed like Wendy, taking in all the scents he could. Gajeels was strong, but so was the smell of blood, and that of Kaleb, Bickslows brother.

"It doesn't make sense, I smell Gajeel, but I also smell Kaleb…and…blood…Kalebs out with Cobra isn't he? I don't smell him at all…they wouldn't separate…they're…they're mating right?" Laxus stumbled a little awkwardly on that but Bickslow just nodded, frowning as well.

"Someone needs to check on them…who knows where Cobra lives?" Laxus demanded.

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He could hear sounds, he could smell blood, he caught the faint whiff of lingering apples.

Apples.

Apples.

Why did the smell of apples stir something in him, something angry?

Something was missing, he was having trouble figuring out what. But something important was missing.

And then he heard them.

Voices.

Calling for him.

So many voices. Layered over each other. Overwhelming. Too loud.

 _'Kaleb? Erik, where's Kaleb?'_

Kaleb. Kaleb. Something was missing.

Kaleb. Where was Kaleb? He'd been there with him...they'd wandered around Magnolia...where was he?

"Dammit Erik wake up! What the fuck happened to Kaleb?!" Laxus snarled, lifting Erik from the ground by his clothes, and shaking him hard.

It took Laxus a split second to realize it had been the wrong move.

The explosion of sound that came from the downed mage was so large, so loud, so heartbroken, that many trees were snapped in half, and the roar of fury that escaped the poison slayer had all of Magnolia cowering in fear.


	14. Chapter 13

MBS chapter 13

Gajeels eyes didn't want to open, his magic was out of reach, he felt that right away, and felt the clamps on his wrists and ankles that told him why too. He could hear things he didn't like at all, and his sense of smell…he wrinkled his nose, curling his lip in disgust, the smell of sex was heavy in the air, way worse than even that cess pool of a club he'd found Bickslow in.

His clothes were gone, that didn't bode well, but, he was a mated Dragon Slayer, if anyone thought they were going to get much out of him, they were in for a rude awakening.

"Kurogane…good, you're coming to, don't worry, your eyes will adjust in a few moments, Succubi sleep magic is nasty business." A light voice said and Gajeel instantly didn't like whoever had spoken, nobody should sound like that in this environment…with the sounds of moans, gasps, skin slapping lewdly and hell only knew what some of the other things he was hearing were. It was instinctual for Gajeel to let Kurogane traits take over.

The voice was right though, his eyes adjusted and sharpened steadily it was dim, the lighting low where they were, above him was carved stone…so, not in a building it seemed…he could smell water…river water and sea water both. When he started looking around him the man sitting across from the x-frame he was chained to was smiling at him.

Bald, with intense bright red eyes, tattoos over his left eye of unidentified rune work.

"Names Rotbull, I'm a ranked officer in Nightmare and I'm here to give you a choice." The man said.

Gajeel narrowed his eyes, there was a curtain up, separating him from the rest of everything, though he heard and smelled plenty.

What he could smell that alarmed him most though, was the apple scent of Bickslows older brother, that was distinct and by the strength of it…Kaleb had to be close.

"I'm listening." He growled.

Rottbull smirked.

"Good…so we have the blood we need for Nightmares purposes, so, Nightmare is walking away now, I had my taste of Royalty…gotta say…I usually go for brunettes, but blonde…yeah…very nice…anyway, since I can't keep that nice piece of ass for my own collection due to orders from the top, we're gonna get going, now…you can chose, come with us, join Nightmare…and I'll implant you with a loyalty lacrima and a blood seed…you know…just for insurance purposes…or…stay here with the blonde and, willing or not..mated slayer or not…there are Incubus here who can feed off of you…not a nice process how they get that for a man who can't get it up for them, but..well..built like you are, you'd endure a good long while I imagine." The man said mildly, looking to the side, he was seated where he could see beyond the curtain that was limiting Gajeels view to the wall on his left, the black curtain to his right, and then the man sitting on the bench before him.

"Not sure Nightmare has much to offer me, and your nutty poison bitch fucked with one of my mates, then some of your boys messed with my woman…not feeling the love here ya know?" Kurogane sneered.

Rottbull smiled, a hint of admiration in his eyes for moment. "Yeah, we're a rough bunch, you gotta share though, only ones who get exclusive rights to nice bits of ass are officers, regular members always have to share…makes for a tighter, closer knit guild family ya know?" He replied and Kurogane glared at him.

"I'm a Dragon Slayer…we don't do "share" when it comes to mates…not a choice..that's how we're wired." He said.

Rottbull shrugged. "Far as I'm concerned, you've shared enough, paid the dues, I'm willing to lay an order your property is off limits and there's not a member in the guild who would even think about crossing that. Show of good faith and all."

"I hear ya, and if I say no? What..I stay here and Succubus and Incubus get to try to keep me here?" He asked.

Rottbull nodded. "Yep, they're good at getting what they want. You're strong, I know you are, wouldn't be laying this offer out if you weren't but your Wizard Saint friend…yeah…blonde and gorgeous hasn't been fairing well resisting them so if a Wizard Saint and the Guild leader of mighty White Sea can't hold his own? Your erectile dysfunction isn't going to help you much." Rottbull sneered and stood, yanking the curtain back.

Gajeel was in a cavern of some sort, a big one, full blown lair by the looks of it, a few hundred meters wide and deep. There were dozens of x-frames and crosses, many of which were occupied while Succubus and Incubus "fed" on victims.

They used sex, fed on sexual energy, lust. It was their sustenance. Magically speaking they were deadly foes too, with powerful mind control skills, many were talented with drugs and potions used to addle a victim, keep their minds numb and their libidos high.

If they were fond of a certain person they would stake them as Claims, claimed people became mindless slaves, puppets, that served their Incubus or Succubus with absolute loyalty and provided an ongoing food source to their master or mistress. Claims were sometimes traded, used for leverage, offered to please higher ranking members so they were usually attractive, strong.

Claiming bled a soul out, fed it to the master or mistress. A claimed person couldn't recover from being claimed, they were permanently the property of succubus or Incubus.

To his right, about 20 feet away, Kaleb was chained to an X-frame, heavy magic canceling manacles at his wrists and ankles, Gajeel recognized the tall woman with the red streaked white hair, riding the Guild master of White Sea. Coming down on him hard and he was writhing, they had blindfolded him with a heavy metal plate, likely something to assure he couldn't channel the light he held because of his knighthood, something even the manacles couldn't fully contain. Shadow Mages had a similar resistance to be held, even in magic canceling cuffs shadows were ever present…

Kaleb was fighting, but it was clear he was weak, his tanned skin riddled with marks, bruises and They had a vein line, a needle right into his neck to feed their drugs to him since they also had a ball gag in his mouth.

He had no resistance, Cobra hadn't completed the claim, and in placing the mark Gajeel could still see faintly on the side of his neck, the Poison slayer had left his intended mate primed full of Dragon magic induced lust he couldn't contain or control.

In essence, Cobra had made Kaleb ideal for use by the Succubi and Incubi of this large coven.

Until death…Kaleb would be drowning in Dragon lust, an endless feast for this coven.

Gajeel turned on Rottbull "You keep him you're going to bring White Sea and the Royal family of Archipelago down on you, which means all of Bosco and their allies…that's a pretty big bite…you sure Nightmares ready to chew that?" He asked.

Rottbull smirked.

"High Priestess Loralye there, it's up to her really, Nightmare didn't need to hold on to you two, and we're not involved, we just gathered what we needed and have agreed not to interfere with the Coven and what they're going to do with that pretty Prince…and you…since I'm not seeing a real desire to join our ranks coming from you." He sneered. "She won't keep you permanently…you wouldn't live long enough to make that worth her while, but she can feed up her coven, and there's not a one of these lovelies here that doesn't want a taste of Royalty or a taste of Dragon. Maybe the girlies can't get a nice ride on you Black Steel, but the Incubus can still get all they need out of your tight ass. You have fun now…I'm gonna go get a last kiss from my sweet prince over there before I go…can't help it, I'm such a fucking romantic…" With that, Rottbull stood and waved to three men who had been standing not far away. Their eyes lit up and they started toward Gajeel with grins on their faces.

Rottbull made his way to where Loralye was just screaming out her completion, panting and smiling, leaning down to pluck the gag from Kalebs mouth so she could kiss him.

The mind mage groaned, his breathing ragged. Rottbull smirked at Loralye. "You seem to be enjoying your new toy." He observed. The Priestess dismounted from the frame, stepping down with the help of a follower.

"Indeed I am, look at my people, that one round fed 9 and he didn't even come. I don't even need orgasms from him, he's pumping so much of that delicious dragon lust he's a meal without them. Just have to work his body up and start feeding…I wish he weren't royalty now…if he were just a mage, I could damn well keep him." She sighed. Rottbull smirked, bending over and sealing his mouth over Kalebs, he had enjoyed the Guild Master of White Sea, hadn't been gentle with him at all and the muscular, powerfully built mage had taken it, he'd fought, but Succubus influence and drugs wasn't something Kaleb could resist at all in his current state of being a half claimed Dragon Slayer mate.

Rottbull couldn't have asked for anything better, when that Poison slayer had taken the big blonde home with him he'd actually been worried. Cobra wasn't a nice mage, he was well known, still well feared too. But, for whatever reason the ex-Oracion Seis member hadn't set his claim into the blonde, maybe he didn't like commitment? Rottbull didn't care one bit, it meant this deal had worked out beautifully for him and Nightmare, for the Priestess too, and because this coven was getting so much out of their arrangement, he didn't doubt they'd be willing to step up and help Nightmare again if called upon.

Reaching down he ran a hand appreciatively over the Wizard Saints body. Well hung, body just sculpted perfection, the man was an Adonis, no doubts about it, when Ruger had told him he might want to personally collect the blood gathered and see if he wanted a little piece of fun for himself he'd been doubtful it would be worth the trip, but Ruger was going to be rewarded for this.

Kurogane certainly wasn't disappointing either, but he wasn't going to be able to fuck the Dragon Slayer, those Incubus had been waiting too long, the high priestess wasn't sharing the Prince. Smiling slightly, he turned and watched for a few minutes while attendants came forward to wash down the Wizard Saints body and prepare him for the next round.

While they were doing that, the Incubus were preparing Kurogane to be taken and the Dragon Slayer wasn't making it easy for them.

There was only so much the man could do though, the chains he was in were laced with ethernano, he couldn't bite them without harming himself especially with his magic held at bay by the manacles. He was well stretched out on that frame too.

The Incubus though had known what to expect, and while Black Steel Gajeel fought for all he was worth, his body was still positioned, and needles pierced his skin, plunged into his veins to start pushing the drugs into him that would remove his ability to think, reduce him to the hazy unfocused state Kaleb was already in, where he was easy to use, easy to feed from.

Rottbull would have waited to see the first Incubus cock plunge into the Dragon Slayer, but he was on a schedule and already late because he'd taken the time to enjoy the blonde. He didn't regret that choice though, nope, he was smiling as he left, waving for his men to follow.

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It had taken time, precious amounts of it, to get Cobra sane enough, before anyone could get a word out of him. He was like a rabid beast when he'd come too, they had taken him, taken Kaleb, his mate, his peace, his future.

It was his fault they meant to keep him too, had he claimed him, overcome his fears and doubts and taken him like a dragon instead of acted like a fucking baby, they would have bled the man and left him with Cobra.

He'd heard the priestess' soul, she would have fed from them both right there in the park and left them if Cobras claim were in place. Now though, now Kaleb was invaluable, drowning in dragon lust because Cobra had started the process but not finished it.

He had to get him back, had to find him and fast, he felt his own strength waver when the coven started using his mate. The bond had been given a boost by that uncompleted mark, and while the bond felt stifled, there was just enough for him to know what was happening.

He knew scents, knew faces, in a shaky rasping voice he told Laxus all he knew, shuddering under the realization it wasn't fucking much. The misery rolling off Bickslow and Levy just amplified his own pain. If he'd laid that claim, he and Kaleb would probably still be tucked up in his apartment right then, either cuddled up asleep or fucking each other senseless.

Bickslow and Levy wouldn't be standing clinging to each other in fear and misery, and if those assholes had still tried the whole thing later, more of Fairy Tail would have been home and Cobra, not half insane with Dragon lust, would have fucking HEARD those bastards and their intentions, instead of being consumed by his fears, doubts, all tangled in a jumble of his ever growing burning need for his mate.

He FELT what was happening to Kaleb, it was dulled, because the sharp pain that preceded the dulling told him his intended mate had been pumped full of drugs and so the feelings traveling through the bond between them were muddied, hazy. But there was no muddying the pain, the anger, humiliation that came through. The lust was painful, and when the bitch started milking it, Erik felt it, felt them start feeding on his mate, felt them fucking him. First someone who inspired pure unadulterated hatred in Kaleb took him, hands, lips, teeth all over then he was fucked, roughly, Erik knew that too well, it was the kind of sex he'd known way too well as a slave. Someone inflicting harm, wanting to cause pain, humiliate, wanting to break who they were fucking and he knew then the difference.

Kaleb had said it over and over that what he wanted was pure pleasure, sharing, heated, thrilling and sensual. What happened to Kaleb first was none of those things at all, it was just…a method of torture.

Erik felt Kaleb separate it to, categorize it, not accept it even as sex, it was just torture. Then he was being taken again…and again…and again…

Cobra figured out how to move, function, even while those things were happening to his mate. He had to, Bickslow and Levy were doing their best but they too were wrecked, feeling similar things happening to their own mate and of the three, Gajeel was the pillar of strength that held them up through hard times.

Cobra though didn't have anyone to turn to, Laxus was there, sympathetic to what was happening, bent on recovering their guild mate and Kaleb, but the hunt was difficult until Levy figured out how to focus her link into a direction.

Cobra felt her lock on to an idea and heard her soul surge with hope so he tuned her in and everyone else out as best he could.

The moment her soul pieced it together, Erik was up, moving, doing exactly what Levy had but unlike her…acting on it.

Laxus falling in behind him with the rest of the Raijinshuu, they were Cobras team, he'd been in the Raijinshuu since shortly after joining the guild. Counted Bickslow a friend, and knew they would have his back. Falling in too was Macbeth. His oldest friend. The reflector mage was fully awake, night time was his element. Above him, he could hear Lily's soul growling, fury pumping him with adrenaline as he flew above the fast moving group of mages.

"Hargeon…I can feel the distance, we need either a fucking SE-car or to get on a train." He growled.

"Car, we can better take whatever direction your feeling that way…I'll get a truck so we can go overland if we need to." Laxus said, hurrying ahead, lightning speeding him to his goal so that when the others got to the rental place by the train station, he was already standing by a good sized truck. Cobra took the drivers seat and in moments they were flying on the road headed south out of Magnolia.

The ride wasn't pleasant. Levy was holding herself together only thanks to Freed, who kept distracting her having her write stability runes and such to help the vehicle along.

Bickslow grimly sat, eyes occasionally glowing as his magic would flare at the edges of his control.

Cobra gripped the steering wheel, and when Laxus ripped the SE plug from him after a couple of hours, Cobra had nearly attacked him but saw the Lightning slayer strap the plug onto his own arm and nod toward the road again. "Keep your strength up, I've got a fuck ton more magic than you." He growled.

Cobra sneered. "Asshole."

"Just drive."

Fog was clinging along the shoreline as the truck sped out over the sand and reeds. Freed and Levy kept the truck stable in the soft sand so they didn't get stuck, and the SE plug was on Macbeths arm now.

More of Fairy Tail was behind them, Laxus had updated everyone, they had a location now, Gajeel had seen enough, in the moments of drugged clarity and sent it through the bond, to put it together and once he had, they knew the cove they were heading for and Fairy Tail mobilized and not alone.

A Boscan gunship was bearing down on the location, re-routed by Kalebs father, and on board it were some very pissed off mages from White Sea, who had flown out to meet the Gunship on a small airbus as it had passed Archipelago.

All told, half of Fairy Tail and forty mages from White Sea as well as a crew of military airmen on the Gunship were closing in on the cove where the covens lair was.

By dawn, the place would be swarming with angry people bent on recovering a Prince of the Archipelago, and Fairy Tails Iron dragon.

The larger force though would be an hour or more behind them even with the Gunship at flank speed and the forces from Fairy Tail were probably two hours behind, taking the train to Hargeon then SE-cars down the coastline.

So they would be the ones to break in, start the assault…if they could, Cobra was still trying to figure out how to get around the Succubus and Incubus. The obvious was to blindfold themselves, the magic used to seize their prey required the coven to make eye contact. But fighting blind…it wasn't like the Coven couldn't do things other than make people freeze in place.

He'd watched those Incubus, and while he knew Nightmare had no plans to linger at the lair, planned to leave once they had what they needed from Kaleb and Gajeel, there was no knowing how many would linger.

He'd heard their disgusting thoughts, Ross wanting to violate Kurogane, Ruger wanting to….fuck Kalebs mouth, have the Guild Master of White Sea gag on him.

He'd almost sent the SE-car into a wash when he'd felt it happen, felt Kaleb writhe in disgust and revulsion. Laxus had shouted in surprise and grabbed the wheel, saving them, and Cobra had slammed his head back against his seat trying to clear his head enough he could function.

"The fuck! Cobra…let me drive…we can't afford this!" Laxus had demanded and Cobra had glared at him, "They're…using him…I can fucking FEEL what they're doing!" He snarled. Laxus and Macbeth managed to help him move out of the drivers seat, Laxus climbing over him and taking his place "Direction?!" He demanded and Cobra pointed, Laxus grunting and the SE car sped forward again.

It was far worse at that point, he didn't have driving to distract him and held his head, rocking in place, snarling when Macbeth tried to touch him.

His dragon was out of its mind and he nearly was too.

As it turned out, they had the ultimate weapon against Succubus magic with them in Bickslow. Seith magic, that shimmering green glow Bickslows eyes put off, made a field happen that the magic of Incubus and Succubus couldn't pass through. Bickslow possessed the first Incubus they encountered, a sentry, ripped everything he knew out of him and left him staring vacantly , body twitching, drool running from his mouth, kicking sand over him as he stood again and walked past the man.

Bickslow had no intention of playing nice and didn't care if there was a single survivor aside from his mate and his brother when he was through.

Cobras eye narrowed, he wanted…needed blood on his hands, his dark lust for it, that he'd pushed aside after Jellal had brought them into Crime Sorciere, was pulled up. He'd been a cold, vicious killer for many years, used to get deep satisfaction out of terrifying and killing people…he needed to feel that here, needed to visit that on this coven that was, as he walked, using the man his Dragon screamed for.

Kaleb was weak, he felt it, all night he'd gotten only short breaks from having his lust driven up through drugs and physical stimulation, he'd had no rest, no sleep, no food or water, just endless abuse. Cobra wasn't sure what those brief breaks were about, he only knew his mate was so fucking strong that they were enough for him to rebuild his thoughts, keep himself removed from what his body was going through, and, of all things, reach out to Cobra, assure him he was alive and still fighting, wanting him, needing him…

Kaleb sent comfort to him…in the midst of all he was going through…his mate sent comfort.

It steeled Cobras resolve, had purple scales covering his arms, his claws dripping poison that hissed in the sand where it dripped, trails of venom running down his chin from the long fangs peeking out from his lips.

He knew to stay near Bickslow and Levy, inside the ring Bix's babies provided, set up by the Seith to give his comrades a visual guide of where they would be untouchable by the gripping magic of the coven members.

He felt Kalebs nearness, saw Bickslow and Levy could feel Gajeel better now too, it made Bickslow hit even harder, ahead of them Incubus and Succubus were turning on each other, tearing each other apart, and Cobra knew it was Bickslows doing. Levy was nearly unrecognizable by the snarl on her face as her hands flashed at her sides, swirling, blurring as she sent out attack after attack that only reinforced his resolve to never piss the small script mage off.

The Seith mage was lethal, it was why the magic was outlawed, why Seith mages were hunted in some countries, heated or feared everywhere. They were capable of horrific devastation. Add the fury of having his soul mate captured, and having his other soul mate supporting his attacks, and Erik could almost, ALMOST, feel a bit of pity for those on the receiving ends of those mages attacks.

As a woman flew at them, Cobra sliced through her with his claw attack, the spray of her blood providing a small touch of satisfaction and he narrowed his eye as they moved forward, continued their path, Laxus' lightning ripping through what Cobras poisons didn't, if the possessed coven members weren't effectively killing each other, once the rest of the Raijinshuu came into range, any coven still standing weren't for long.

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It was one of the brief breaks he got, when attendants moved in and washed his body to keep him clean, his skin free of things that prevented the coven members from getting a clear taste of him.

They were washing his face, his body, he'd had three of them on him…one straddling his head, riding his mouth, the other straddling his hips riding his cock while a third came in from behind, an Incubus, and took him from there. The X-frame was angled, supports dangled around him so coven could position themselves to use him as they saw fit.

The Priestess lounging close by endlessly reveling in the steady stream of lust and sexual energy he provided, could not help but provide, the need was still so strong, his whole being aching for his Dragon Slayer.

It hadn't taken the coven long to figure out how to milk it, they didn't need him to even faintly enjoy anything they did, they just needed to stir that lust, and the dragon lust wasn't picky, it wanted what it wanted, yearned more and more no matter how thoroughly Kalebs body was worked because none of it was with his Dragon Slayer, there was no relief, no satisfaction, just more and more need.

He felt Eriks fury, his anguish, guilt, and reached out as well as he could across the muted link between them, he didn't blame him, none of this was his fault, he still wanted him, needed him, burned to be his and none of this mattered, it was torture, inflicted for no purpose but power and Kaleb was strong, his body was strong, healthy, he could endure this and once his magic was restored, the Immaculate light would surge through his veins and purge everything done to him, his ability to heal himself was tremendous, a perk of how much of the light he had taken in during his induction to the Knights.

Eriks misery was misplaced, Kaleb could get through this, it wasn't destroying him, it was torture, he hated it, but it wasn't getting in, these short breaks were enough, gave him time to steel himself, gather up his thoughts, feel Eriks increasing nearness, know his mate was coming for him and this would end soon, he'd see his Dragon Slayer again.

The drugs were bad…the potions were too, many had been forced into him now to keep him hard because he sure as hell wasn't wanting the men and women that kept coming.

When Ruger, the man who he had seen rape Levy in Levys nightmares had approached right after Rottbull had left…that had been the only point he had really struggled.

They had forced a gag into his jaw that held his mouth open, kept his teeth back, and Ruger had…fucked his mouth, made him gag repeatedly on his disgusting shaft as he'd gripped Kalebs hair and just gone wild forcing himself down Kalebs throat until he came and Kaleb gagged until he finally retched on the vile thickness.

His throat still burned, his mouth had been rinsed, the coven was fastidious that their "meals" not reek of cum and sweat, even though the whole damn place did.

He heard the shouting. Looking over, he saw Gajeel stir. They hadn't kept using him, got too little out of him, once the Nightmare members and first few Incubus had their goes at the Iron Dragon, he'd been left chained to the frame he was on, they hadn't even bothered to go wash him off after the last two Incubus finished, declaring fucking his mouth between those fangs wasn't as thrilling as they had thought it would be and leaving Gajeel gagging on their cum. The gag harness was still strapped to the Dragon Slayers head. The strap holding his head in place still secure.

But the slayer strained at the bonds, Kaleb saw the muscles of his body tighten as he tried to move.

Nobody had touched him in a couple of hours, and he'd been steadily working at his bonds, the rest of the coven was preoccupied with Kaleb, who was feeding dozens of them and fights had broken out over who would get their turn on the tall blonde next and who was only going to feed by proximity.

The disturbance elsewhere had attention further taken from Gajeel, and the Dragon Slayer was working harder. Kaleb directed his attention back to himself when he felt a hand slide up his leg as the high priestess came to the frame again, stepping up and mounting it, lowering herself onto him and purring as he filled her.

"Enough fighting, go find out whats happening outside, I tire of this bickering, whoever has started fighting out there won't be feeding for a few days!" She snapped.

"Now…only I will enjoy him, you will ALL feed from a distance because you've annoyed me." She cast a hard look around and heads dropped, coven members dropping onto the lounges and pillows that had been gathered around Kalebs frame. He'd become the center of the place, other victims left where they were untouched while coven members drifted and hovered around their leader and the feast that the dragon lust provided.

Kaleb narrowed his eyes and the priestess sneered at him, reaching out and taking a thick syringe from an attendant.

"You won't scoff at this…this is pure Succubus venom, my own in fact, infused with a lovely cocktail of stimulants ad mind altering poisons…I'm going to make you cum until you pass out…handsome prince." She hooked it to the line already set in his neck and pushed the stuff in. Kaleb saw Gajeels eyes widen as he watched out the side of his vision, seeing what the Priestess was doing. It was a large syringe, and when it hit his blood Kaleb reeled.

Pain, horrible pain surged through him, lust so intense it hurt, burned, sent nerves into spasms as the woman on top of him started laughing, riding him, thrusting down on him in a hard punishing rhythm that made him grunt, lose breath every time she came down.

She meant to take all she could from him. She'd planned to abandon him and the Slayer here for their mates to find them before the sun got high. She was no fool, Nightmare had made promises she knew were worthless, but the use of a wizard saint, a young, healthy, handsome one, part of the Archipelago royal family that was pumping dragon lust because his dragon slayer mate had not completed his claim? Far too good a thing for her to pass up. Her coven could move to a new lair, set up, exist for a month off what they had gotten out of Kaleb in one night.

It was worth the risk, though she'd meant to do this, drive his body into overload until he passed out, earlier, she'd been unable to resist letting her favorites have their fun with the handsome blonde.

He came, screaming in agony, tears bleeding down his face, blood running from his lips as his body was overdone, over driven by what she'd pumped into him. But he came and the power of it surged through her, flooded her and her coven members gathered around him with energy and power even as he convulsed beneath her, drove her to her own end with those convulsions.

She was so overwhelmed by the intensity even she nearly blacked out, saw several of her people crumple with blissful gasps.

A roar tore through the lair then, a terrible bone chilling sound, and lightning ripped through the chamber along with blasts of green magic, glowing runes and venomous red crescents of magic that cleaved people to pieces as they passed.

"KALEB!" She heard and turned her head as she slid from the Princes still shuddering body. Her eyes widened and she tried to focus her power but red washed venom flowed right into her eyes and a clawed hand tore into her chest, pushing into her until she felt it rip right through her ribs to grip her heart.

"You filth…what did you do to him?! Tell me what that was or I'll rip this out and make you eat it before you die…." A hard voice hissed and she stared into a single indigo eye in agony. "Ve…venom…mine…" She choked out and the last thing she saw was the lip curling from gleaming white fangs before she felt her heart get ripped out of her body.

Cobra sank his teeth into the bitch, drank her venom right out of her blood and felt his magic surge, felt the antivenins form and then he tossed the womans' body aside and was climbing the frame, looking in horror at his mate.

He was covered in bruises, bite marks, his body still shuddering, blood trickling from his lips. "Kaleb…please…Kaleb…" He pleaded, reaching, the connection had gone, the other end empty. He was only vaguely aware of Levy and Bickslow racing past, Lily right behind them in his battle form, going to another frame nearby, ripping at chains and bindings on the occupant. His poison spilled over the bonds, melting away the manacles as he bit into Kalebs neck, tossing aside the needle and tube that had been there.

He forced the antivenin in, ignoring how faint the soul was in front of him, willing his strength into it, begging it to come to him, not to leave him. He wouldn't survive the loss, he knew it, that he hadn't finished the mating didn't matter, he already was falling in love, already wound tightly into the soul of his mate too much to ever live even minutes without him. He wouldn't want to, he knew that with absolute certainty, he could not live without Kaleb, could not bear it.

"Kaleb…my mate….my mate….stay with me…please…don't go…" He begged. Tears streaming down his face, he bit into the bruised and bleeding wrist when the manacle fell away, pushing more antivenin in, barely registered Gajeel staggering to the bottom of the frame and tearing the other two from Kalebs ankles, saying something about freeing his magic.

The heartbeat was faint, breath almost not there, soul retreating almost beyond reach when it finally happened. The light was freed, and it surged through Kaleb like a storm, Cobra was burned by it, but he ignored the pain, clinging to his mate, hissing as his clothes smoked.

Magic pulsed, a shock wave flowing through the cavern that sent everyone staggering for a moment as they fought. "Erik…" he felt the word rumble in the chest he was pressed against, felt the lips move under his as he was kissing them begging and pleading for his mate not to leave him.

He pulled back and in a moment decided the most beautiful thing in the world was the opening of glowing lavender eyes.

"Kaleb…" He breathed, and was kissing the bloody lips, his face, everything he could reach, felt Kalebs hands come to his back, and he lifted his mate, gathered him to his chest greedily, holding him tight, arms wrapped firmly around his torso, face buried in his neck.

"Erik…help me get off this thing…." Kalebs voice resonated then, and magic pulsed, the depth of it, the power was staggering and Cobra tightened his arms around his mate, realizing that power, the rapidly building, overwhelming magic energy he felt was coming from Kaleb.

"This fight ends now…" Kaleb snarled, his voice rasping, off…his throat was raw from the abuse he'd endured but it didn't stop him, didn't even diminish him.

Biting back the sobs that wanted to escape him, Cobra slid from the frame, keeping his hands on his mate, helping him stumble to his feet, he couldn't even find it in himself to snarl when Laxus appeared next to them, carefully slinging one of Kalebs arms around his shoulders, even as he slid an arm around the guild masters back in support.

Taking deep, shuddering breaths, Kaleb had to grit his teeth against the tremble in his limbs, the ache that pulsed through him. He could feel his magic working overtime, trying to cleanse him of everything that had been done to him. It had been repressed for too long. Much of his magic reacted on instinct alone, and the moment he had been captured, his magic had been trying to overcome what was being done to him, but the coven had managed to overwhelm him. 

Now it was roiling within, looking for some kind of an outlet. Wincing, Kaleb eased his arm from around Laxus' shoulders, wrapping himself around Cobra instead.

'Everyone close their eyes!' Kaleb sent out a mental call to those he knew were friends. He didn't give them a chance to question what he was doing, before gathering Cobra closer, and lifting his mates chin, dropping a quick peck onto his lips, he quirked a smile when his one eye blinked open in surprise. 'You don't have to love, I want you to see this.' He explained, running gentle fingers over the trails of tears that had been escaping his eye. His smile widened and warmed at the look of confusion that crossed his mates face. Shock quickly followed as Kaleb began to glow brighter and brighter, pulsing against Cobra's skin in a teasing manner, growing stronger.

Taking another deep breath, Kaleb dropped the control he normally held and let his magic loose to fill the cavern. The pulse of pure power that rolled from him had Erik moaning and pressing closer, his eye still focused on the lavender gaze above him. He could feel the love, the lust, the force that only strengthened his mates power now, and it was him, their bond. He could hear it. He could hear the hums of their souls winding ever tighter together, and as the magic wound itself around him, caressing him, he couldn't help but pull Kaleb down to ravish his mouth. 

Their friends gasped in shock, having just barely managed to close their eyes. The feeling of the pure magic washing over them had them whimpering as they fell to their knees, overwhelmed, even as those who were a part of the coven began to scream in agony, convulsing as the light touched them. No corner was left empty, no crevice left alone, and soon cries for mercy could be heard, echoed by the sound of bodies hitting the floor.

Minutes ticked by as screams and pleas for mercy echoed everywhere. Kaleb ignored them, drinking in Eriks kiss, feeling how shaken he was, how much this whole ordeal had taken a toll on the Poison Slayer and almost sent more magic out, tempted to force more pain through the covens members just because his mate had been terrified, had faced the possibility of losing him, and it had been a real possibility, not for long, once his magic was free and flooding his system the massive amounts of drugs, potions and venoms they had pumped into him were burned away swiftly, but had Cobra taken longer to reach him, to get those manacles off…

Needing air, and hearing Laxus clear his throat uncomfortably, still close by and stepping in to help Cobra support Kalebs big frame, they pulled apart. Kaleb drew himself up, by the moment getting stronger.

His eyes were still ablaze and the tremors were fading as his magic balanced again, light coursing through every part of him, purifying, purging, his healing had always been exceptionally accelerated and it surged into action, sealing shut the knife wound in his side in minutes and stopping the blood seeping from it.

The coven was now unable to fight, their dark magic was food for the light and its relentless pursuit to purge darkness. Kaleb cast around through the minds all around hunting and he sighed when he found none of Nightmares men. They had all gone already. He narrowed his eyes, it wouldn't matter, as soon as he got his hands on a com, he would bring the full force of the power he held to bear against the dark guild, and he would hunt down the men who had tried to degrade him, tried to break him. Like Gajeel, he now had Ruger set center in his sights.

He was not broken, they had only succeeded in angering him, giving him a direction to focus his fury over the events of the last few months that had involved his brother and now involved him and this maroon haired indigo eyed piece of Heaven he'd found.

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When the Gunship arrived, followed by Fairy Tail, they were pretty much on clean up duty. The Raijinshuu with Levy, and Lily along, and a little help from Kaleb, had taken the coven down.

Kaleb was taken aboard the Gunship, and frowned darkly sending his mages bowing so low their heads almost hit the floor when he was ordered, by the captain of the ship, to the ships infirmary to be checked over by their medic instead of handed the Com Lacrima he'd asked for.

Cobra snatched the lacrima from the mans pocket though, snarling at him and almost hoping he'd object, he wouldn't mind a good fight right then.

While the medic sheepishly looked over the impatient Guild Master, who still had not a single stitch of clothing on, something his upbringing had never made overly important to him, Kaleb focused on things that mattered more to him.

However, after the third female crewman, second female mage, then a male mage smirked at his mate standing naked in the infirmary with the door wide open he kicked said door shut right in the face of a huge man with dark green hair and bi-colored blue and yellow eyes he heard someone call "Beck". He hadn't had a chance to even block anything with "Beck" before memories had flooded from the mans soul, of various romps over the last number of years, usually on and off again moments, the most recent being what the man had termed was a "heavenly romp through eden" followed by a rather colorful replay of the romp that had happened in some forestry on Kaleb's island. Just seeing it, even in that way, had his dragon snarling in denial, and pushing harder for the mating to take place.

"Put some clothes on damn it." He growled, Kaleb giving him an incredulous look. "And what clothes would I put on? Gods only know what the coven did with what I was wearing."

Cobra rounded on the hapless medic who latched onto something useful he could do eagerly. There just weren't any injuries on the Guild master he could do anything about, the bruising and teeth marks would fade, the knife wound in his side had sealed shut and while it looked ugly, it already looked hugely better than it had when Kaleb had first boarded the ship just 20 minute ago.

Aside from cleaning him up, something the maroon haired Dragon Slayers bared teeth and low growl had stopped him from doing when he'd raised a dampened cloth and started wiping down Kalebs back, there'd been little the medic could do.

When the medic returned, Gajeel was being grudgingly ushered in with him and he was carrying some clothes.

"Master Kaleb is larger than most of the crewmen…so is Mr. Redfox so I was only able to gather some track pants and t-shirts…" The medic said unhappily.

Kaleb shrugged, finally finishing his conversation with his aid and snapping the com off to snatch the track pants and step into them. They didn't fit too well, were too small over his muscled thighs so the fabric stretched there and the T-shirt once he'd pulled it on looked painted on, still, it was a step above being naked…not that Kaleb cared, but it helped Cobra not to be as defensive.

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The airship left Fairy Tail to handle the coven and the group that had taken it down got a free ride back to Magnolia along with Wendy, who went over Kaleb and Gajeel better than the medic could, clearing away most of the bruises and bite marks on Kaleb and Gajeel and making sure the knife wound in Kalebs side was healing the right way so it was less likely to scar.

Cobra was antsy, he could sense his mate was already nearly back to full strength. The sick scent of the Coven still clung to him, but when they reached Magnolia and the airship landed in the back of the guild, Kaleb and Gajeels first stop was the Guild locker room to shower before Wendy agreed he and Gajeel could go home, ordered them both to rest a couple of days before doing any work and it seemed like no time at all before he was locking his apartment door behind Kaleb and himself.

The last few hours had worn on him almost as much as the last two days. His dragon sensing his mate wasn't weak anymore had taken after him with a vengeance, the need, the lust, everything worse than it had ever been by a long shot now.

He was trying to control himself. His mate had been through so much already. That coven of succubi had nearly killed his mate...if they hadn't got there in time...

"Cobra...Cobra..."

He couldn't shake the image of how he had found him, it was enough to make even his experience in the tower look like a pleasant stroll. He had never wanted Kaleb to experience that personally...

"Cobra!"

Kaleb had had enough on his plate dealing with Cobra's own memories...now to deal with his own? He was nearly snarling as he fought to control his dragon, fighting ever harder to lay the mark in his mate. If he hadn't let his fears get in the way, this wouldn't have happened, Gajeel had been fine to an extent, but no, already he had failed his mate and there was no way Kaleb would-

 _'ERIK SHUT UP!'_

The roaring of his mates soul finally got through to him, and Erik's gaze jerked up in shock, stepping back automatically at the sight of Kaleb's eyes glowing brightly with fury, his body itself actually glowing as well. When Kaleb took a step forward, Cobra took one back, swallowing hard, afraid to hope that Kaleb wouldn't be furious with him for not marking him sooner.

 _'I said ENOUGH.'_

Kalebs' soul snarled loud and clear, his glowing eyes narrowed on Erik. Shuddering, Erik was in shock at feeling himself backing away from the fury that was pumping off of his mate. A low grunt escaped when he backed into a wall, not able to go any further. He felt his hands curl into fists, pressing hard against the wall, not noticing the way the plaster gave way some under his hands.

 _'Listen to me very closely Erik. Nothing that happened, NOTHING, is your fault, do you understand?'_

 _'But if I hadn't -'_

 _'NOTHING Erik.'_

 _'But I-'_

Before Erik could get much further, Kaleb slammed his hands into the wall on either side of Eriks' head, slamming his mouth down onto his, stealing Eriks breath, his thoughts, and any doubts Erik may have had. Tense moments passed, as Eriks mouth was ravished, before Kaleb pulled back, panting, chest heaving, still glaring.

His hair was hanging loose, swaying over his shoulders, tangled around the fingers from Eriks hands that neither had even realized had moved. It wasn't clear who moved next, all they knew was Kaleb was snarling out a curse as his back met the wall hard, pinned, clothes shredded as Erik tore the ill-fitting shirt and track pants he wore from him.

It was all instinct and heat now, hands pulling, yanking, tugging until flesh met flesh, teeth clacking and snarls echoing as they spun, each trying to dominate the other, until they suddenly ran hard into the dining room table around the corner from the hall they had been in. They hadn't even realized they had been making their way down the hall, taking turns being pinned to the wall. They had been so desperate to get their clothing off, to feel hands gripping until bruises were left behind, nails leaving beading trails of blood.

But the sound of the dining room table hitting a wall as their bare hips slammed into it only drove them on further. A overpowering snarl burst from Erik as he tripped Kaleb back, causing him to land on the table on his back hard, his own hissing breath escaping him. Dropping to his knees, Erik was quick to close his mouth around the head of his mates dick, moaning at the faint apple taste, reveling in the shout of pleasure that escaped Kaleb.

He was determined. For all of the times Kaleb had pleasured him, for all that Kaleb had gone through under that covens hands, he would drive Kaleb mad with desire for him.

 _'Damn dragon, I'm already being driven mad...just fuck me already!'_ Kalebs soul growled, even as a rather lewd moan layered with a whimper escaped him when Erik took him even deeper. _'Dammit Erik, we have our entire lives, I want to cum with you buried in me, please!'_ Kaleb begged silently, a slight sob escaping him, turning the tide for Erik.

Snarling, Erik surged to his feet, gripping his mates thighs tightly, pulling them open even as he yanked the slightly taller man towards him, his own impressive erection rubbing enticingly against Kalebs.

Panting, Erik eased his hips back, only to pause, waiting, expecting his fears from the tower to overpower him again...but nothing.

Nothing at all.

No, he had faced something a great deal more terrifying. He had found his mate...and almost lost him to the coven that would've fed off of them both through their bonds. Hissing out a pained breath against the tidal wave of lust that swamped him through their link, the feeling of his skin dragging against Kalebs revving his lust higher, Erik started to press forward, sinking slowly into the heat that was a part of his mate.

Minutes passed as he eased deeper into his mate, continuing to take deep breaths, still worried that he was going to hurt him.

Kaleb tilted his head back, biting at his own lower lip trying to be patient, knowing Erik needed him to be, feeling his uncertainty and not wanting to drive that into anything that would stop this because Gods above did Erik feel good pushing into him.

Finally, FINALLY, he felt and saw their hips meet, Kalebs own rigid length bobbing and leaking between them. Grinning like the cat that caught the poisonous canary, Erik reached down to swipe a thumb across the nearly purple head, gathering the bead of pre-cum that already had Eriks mouth watering. Bringing it up, he met the brightly glowing lavender eyes that were watching him, and with a flick of his tongue, tasted his mates very essence, a deep moan escaping him as the taste burst across his taste buds.

The feeling of Kaleb uncontrollably jerking against him at that sight was nearly his undoing, and with a hiss he ground himself deeper into Kaleb.

 _'Gods...so...good...so...fucking...please Erik...fuck me...take me...I want my dragon...'_ Kalebs purr from the soul had the last thread of control that Erik had been hanging onto snapping, and with a snarl, he started moving.

Fast. Hard. With every thrust, their breaths were driven from their lungs. With every bruising grip, they were driven closer to the edge. Every slam of the table against the wall drove them to go harder, and deeper.

And when Erik finally took a seed of mercy on Kaleb by wrapping one strong hand around his aching erection, the howl of pleasure that escaped Kaleb as that touch threw him over the edge pulled Erik with him, and the feel of Eriks fangs sinking into the left side off Kalebs neck was lost in the flood of pleasure and the heat of Eriks seed spilling deep within him.

The bond locked, tore open flood gates between the two and Kaleb was left struggling to breathe. The Dragon Magic coursing into him he handled well, it barely burned, it was Cobras listening magic that hit him hard, suddenly enhancing his own.

Cobra was no better, if anything, he was swallowing down Kalebs blood and barely got to savor the taste before his mates immense magic threatened to black him right out. The two mages clung to each other, letting everything work its way slowly toward a shaky balance before either of them tried to even move.

Kaleb nuzzling against Eriks ear, making him smiled faintly.

"I'm yours now…and you're mine…my dragon." Kaleb said softly, satisfaction, happiness, laced with wickedness in the statement.

"You're mine…fuck…mine…" Cobra agreed, grinning now. He pulled back, Kaleb making a soft sound when their bodies separated.

"Now I need another shower…" Kaleb observed. Cobra grinned pulling his mate to his feet and heading for the bathroom.

"Anything you want." He said firmly, meaning it, he fully intended to pamper the hell out of Kaleb for the next few days.

Kaleb smirked. "Anything? You think hard now and remember where I come from when you say something like that." He warned.

"Anything." Cobra repeated firmly, getting the water in the shower steaming and letting Kaleb push him into it.

"Then I want my mark as dark as Bickslows before we go to the guild again…" Kaleb smirked and Cobra laughed, Kaleb knew full well how that mark was darkened, and so did Cobra, but when he let himself search his feelings for the dread, worry, concern around the idea…it just wasn't there.

Reaching around Kalebs body he grasped the mans ass and pulled their bodies tight together, drawing an immediate growl from Kaleb and loving the feel of Kalebs body instantly responding to him.

"Anything." He repeated again.

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Cobra learned a few things over that first night with delicious certainty. His Dragon was a fucking genius, had picked the perfect mate for him. Kaleb was not exaggerating when he'd warned him he could make every sexual experience they shared world rocking. Being under Kaleb, having Kaleb inside of him…didn't stir unpleasant memories for him, handing over control to his skilled, tender mate felt as incredible as being inside of Kaleb did.

Then there were the soft things, the things he would have scoffed at before now, cuddling, slow, reverent lovemaking, drifting to sleep wrapped in the arms of his mate feeling safe, protected…loved. Then waking up to find Kaleb in nothing but running shorts that hugged his ass and left his legs on display while he busied himself making something that smelled suspiciously of henbane…he had a couple henbane plants, glancing around he saw they had been trimmed too.

"What are you doing?" He called, still laying on his belly on the bed, hours of sex and play through the night had left him just…boneless, and he wasn't the one who had spent more than a day being tortured. Where Kaleb got his energy from he couldn't figure out.

"You got hemlock laced pancakes the morning I met you, I went through what you had on hand and came up with Henbane crepes stuffed with Holly berries, there's a Holly plant by the café at the end of the block I passed on my run so I grabbed some, along with coffee and some stuffed croissants." He said and Cobra was out of the bed, having found his energy at the possibility of finding a new poison laced meal to enjoy.

"You can…cook!" He moaned when he put the first forkful into his mouth. Kaleb smirked, handing him a large cup of coffee while he sat kitty corner to him at the table.

"As a guild master I've kept some really bizarre hours at times and had to learn to cook for myself. My father has some great chefs on staff so I took time, went down there during visits and learned from them so I could feed myself. I found I like it, it's relaxing, and I'll admit, cooking for you? Seriously fun." He said.

Cobras eyes narrowed. "You went for a run?! Alone? After what just happened and while you're supposed to be resting?"

"I went with Bix, I know he's an avid runner so I called him and he met me with Laxus, so no…my protective dragon, I was not alone, and I need my runs, stress relievers and part of my routine. You were so far asleep, so content, I didn't want to wake you. Thought I'd bring breakfast to the bed honestly…" His smirk sent a shiver through Cobra then.

Maybe it was the poison laden breakfast provided by his new mates talent in the kitchen, maybe it was a lifetime of never getting anything out of sex until his mate had come into his life, but Cobra was so energized, hungry for more and delighted that when he tried to tackle his mate to the floor Kaleb not only didn't go down easy, they ended up in a wrestling match for supremacy that had every part of his instincts as a slayer surging in excitement until he managed to trip Kaleb up, the man still a little off balance from all he'd been through the last few days and was laughing as he went down.

"Not…fair." Kaleb snarled pushing up from the floor, he'd gone down face first but gotten a leg under him to keep from going all the way down but Erik was on his back, trying to yank his arms out from under him and pin him. Kissing over the back of his shoulder even as he was trying to finally score his win.

"Never promised fair…" Cobra growled. His hand stole around Kalebs hip and cupped the semi erect evidence of how much Cobra had been affecting his mate with his play.

"Ah!...Gods I love your hands…" Kaleb gasped, Cobra was pressing against him now and Kaleb got rocked back in the Dragon Slayers arms, not resisting him anymore, no more will or desire to left in him. Neither had really emerged more dominant than the other, for Kaleb he was all about enjoying the pleasure, and was just fine with however he got it, perfectly happy to be receiving or giving whichever position he ended up in.

For Cobra, the struggle was a serious thrill, Kaleb testing him, wrenching control away from him and then languidly fucking him had been a revelation that had abolished the last boundaries he had. That he could turn right around and have Kaleb on his knees sucking him or bent over letting him take him in return made it clear his mate didn't need to dominate him to enjoy what they did and Cobra found he didn't either, as long as he could get his hands, his body on his mates, he was happy.

Cobras claws ripped away the running shorts and Kaleb laughed "Fuck…you're going to leave me with nothing to wear damn it…" the protest falling away into a hiss as Cobra closed his fingers around Kalebs erection and started stroking him.

"Complaining?" He growled pushing his face into silvery blonde hair, yanking away the tie that held it so it fell loose, he had come to adore Kalebs long hair.

When the man had cursed upon Cobra catching it and pulling his head to the side so he could run his tongue over the steadily darkening mating mark on his neck.

He remembered them talking about Kalebs hair late last night, and found that he still stood by his enjoyment of his mates hair. "I need to cut it…it's past traditional lengths even for Boscan clans." Kaleb had said and Cobra had shaken his head, growled against his neck "No…I like it…love it like this…" and Kaleb had looked at him surprised. "Then I'll leave it." He'd replied.

Kaleb pressed into him. "No complaints…" He breathed and Cobra embraced the lust that overwhelmed him at his mates thoughts and soul all focusing on how good he felt, how much he wanted his dragon. Kalebs passionate nature, his almost reckless abandon as soon as arousal started building beckoned to Cobra, who was so new to it all, still so uncertain but he found if he just let his mates confidence shore up his lack of it, he could deeply enjoy all they did together.

Darken that mark until it was true black in Kalebs sun kissed skin.

The blonde had only one knee under him, his other leg still stretched out behind him and he was holding himself off the floor on his hands, it was actually a perfect position for Cobra to take advantage of and he rubbed himself against his mate, seeing if he was right in his thinking.

When Kaleb moaned and braced himself, tipping his head better to the side so Cobras face pressed alongside his from behind as he pushed in. The way Kalebs soul just sang when they were together had Cobras own damn near weep as he started moving.

Normally well spoken, the fact Kalebs vocabulary shrank down to curses "good, yes, more, harder" and other pleas and praises had Cobra smiling until his own ability to think was gone, consumed by the pleasure and satisfaction of pleasing his mate. That and having won their little wrestling match.

Yes he knew Kaleb wasn't at full strength, but he was a greedy bastard at heart, he'd take his fucking wins and be happy with them. Fingers working Kalebs length the pair didn't last long, the fact Kaleb was holding up his own and Cobras weight while his mate bucked against him, slamming into him relentlessly showed his strength was probably better than he let on, that he'd probably just not really wanted to be the winner of their wrestling match but he'd never admit it, preferring to growl and curse at his smug mate when they had both come and the overwhelming waves of bliss had robbed him of his ability to hold them up any more so he'd ended up with his chest pressed to the cold floor while Cobra lay limp on top of him panting and trying to regain control of his body.

"You're cleaning up, insatiable dragon." Kaleb grumbled but he was smiling, couldn't help himself.

"Worth it, go get the shower going, I'll be in there as soon as I remember how to walk." Cobra smirked, too damn happy to argue.

"You're still laying on me you shit." Kaleb grunted, arms shaking slightly as he pushed off the floor again, lifting both himself and the still relaxed body of the Poison Slayer.

"If you hadn't gone for a run you'd have the energy to move me." Cobra returned.

"Ass. I didn't run on my arms, I was just fucked while holding you up on them!" Kaleb snapped but chuckled and bent his arms until his chest hit the floor again then shoved off it harder, bucking his mate off of him. Cobra tumbled to the floor with a yelp reaching for Kaleb but the mind mage dodged him.

"You loved it." Cobra observed, looking up from the floor at his mate who was on his feet now smiling down at him, out of reach.

"Definitely. Your buying me new fucking shorts too." He said walking to the bathroom.

Cobra smiled, getting up to clean everything up, breakfast and the evidence of their romp on the floor before hurrying to the bathroom before Kaleb could finish his shower, he'd showered alone his whole life, he much preferred doing so with his mates company now.

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The shrill sound of an incoming call pierced the quiet of the studio apartment, and with a snarl, Cobra was quick to yank a pillow over his head, ignoring the snort that escaped from the man stretched out beside him, a heavy arm over his torso. He was also just as ready to ignore the sound of a ringing com coming from the bedside table.

"No Erik, you cannot throw the com link out the window, or melt it with your poison." Kaleb said with a stifled laugh before rolling over to grab the com link, and ultimately saving its life. With a yawn, he answered.

"Wow, still asleep bro? You're usually awake by this time of day." Bickslow's smug voice came through loud and clear, and Cobra didn't even have to look to know that his mates brother – holy crap, now his brother-in-law – was grinning that lecherous grin of his.

"Fuck off Bix, we've been busy!" Cobra snapped, his voice muffled from his place still under the pillow.

"Yea yea I know, and I wanna see how things have gone. You've been holed up for a week now, both of you get your asses to the guild for breakfast, my treat. I wanna see my brother, flowers, so hurry up!" With that parting shot the line went dead, and Kaleb had to bite back a laugh at the mental images flashing through his mates head. Cobra dipping poison into his food, scratching him, pulling his tongue out to burn a hole in his tongue...there well all sorts of options.

"Come on love, he's got a point, and there are some things that still need to be hammered out with Markarov for the sister guilds idea." Kaleb Soothed, rolling back to his side to run a caressing hand down Cobra's back and over his ass to give it a hard squeeze, drawing an aroused gasp from the still hiding poison mage. When a flash of Cobra on his knees, gripping the headboard, with Kaleb pounding into him from behind flashed through his mind, Kaleb couldn't stop the purr that escaped him, before he shoved the blanket away and rolled over onto his mate.

"Well...maybe Bix can wait a bit longer..."Kaleb breathed into Cobras ear with a hard thrust of his hips, his rapidly hardening length clearly felt against the globes of Cobras' ass. The answering needy whimper had Kaleb growling before sinking his teeth into Cobras' shoulder, and they lost track of time for a while.

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The sun was well into the sky by the time Kaleb and Cobra left the apartment, locking the door behind them. When they turned back around, they both yelped in surprise at seeing a small wooden totem hovering right behind them.

"Papa says to come!" the small thing said in an excited tone, twirling and dancing around them. Kaleb couldn't help but laugh at his brothers impatience, even as Cobra buried his face in a hand. Quick nudges from the wooden soul had them stumbling forward a couple of steps before hurrying forward.

"Alright alright! Go and tell him we're on our way." Kaleb laughed, watching with a smile as it did a quick spin before flying away. Grabbing Cobras hand, Kaleb was was quick to set off in a job, heading for the guild, passing the same cafe as a few days before t grab a few holly berries and pass them to his mate, who was quick to grin and pop them into his mouth one at a time like candy. Thankfully the apartment wasn't far from the guild, and about five minutes later found them pushing the doors open to the guild.

Pausing on the threshold, they took a quick look around, taking in the low roar of sound, and were able to quickly find Bickslow sitting at a table on the far side of the guild with the rest of the Raijinshuu, Gajeel and Levy beside him.

'I'm going to go and get something to drink. Want anything?' Cobra asked silently, knowing that he'd be able to hear him better through their bond, rather than out loud with the noise in the guild.

 _'Coffee, black, two sugars. Thanks babe.'_ Kaleb answered with a smile, letting the hand he had still been holding onto go.

 _'Will do, and not a problem. Go join Bix before he sends more of his dolls after us.'_ Cobra answered with a small nod before moving towards the bar.

Still smiling, Kaleb moved in the opposite direction, towards his brother and team, pausing at the table that had team Natsu hanging out. He bent down for a moment to exchange a few words when they had called out, asking how he was doing after the bit with the succubus coven. As he assured them he was fine, and everything was good now, Kaleb eyed Natsu, flashes of memories of what appeared to be dreams managing to leak through to him. Dreams of a moon, and a person with dark hair, and a possessive growl. Nodding at them once more, he turned away, brows furrowing as he thought about what he had picked up from the fire dragon slayer.

Like Natsu, Kaleb had started having similar dreams a number of months before he had met Cobra. Maybe...

The feel of an unfamiliar hand gripping his ass followed by a set of well endowed breasts, and another hand easing around to lightly drag nails over his clothed torso had him freezing in place.

"Hmmm hello handsome, you busy right now?" A slurred voice sounded from behind him, and Kaleb could only gulp. Being so close to someone who was painting a very DETAILED exploration of his body in their minds had him lifting a brow, even as he was quick to turn around, causing the womans hands to fall off his ass, but press tighter against his torso. He was quick to catch her hands, lifting both brows, when she started to trail her hands up to his neck, her intention of pulling him down into a kiss very obvious.

"Yes actually, I am." He answered bluntly, taking a step back, exasperated slightly when she followed, keeping herself pressed tightly against him.

"How about later then? My place?" The woman, Cana he managed to find from her thoughts, pressed harder against him.

"Not going to happen." He could hear her a bit clearer now, hear the insecurities and doubts that were buried so deep that she wasn't entirely aware of them. Any other time, if he wasn't mated, he would've been thrilled to take her on, treat her the way that he had been raised to treat women, but this wasn't any other time, and he hoped she'd get the picture if he spoke firmly with her.

"Surely there's gotta be some time you're free." The woman pressed, a wicked smile on her mouth as she swiveled her hips against him. He had to give her credit, she certainly knew what she was doing, was persistent in going after what she wanted, and if he wasn't mated Cobra, he may have seriously considered it.

Kaleb stiffened fractionally when under the cover of being pressed up against him, she reached down to grope him, trying to get a reaction. She got a reaction alright. A low, threatening, possessive growl from the poison slayer coming up behind her, eyes flashing with fury as he heard the lewd thoughts going through her mind with Kaleb as the star attraction.

"No, drunk, there isn't going to be any time that he's free for you." Cobra snarled, stopping beside them after having dropped off their drinks at the table with Bix and his team before continuing to them.

"And how would you know this Cobra?" Cana smirked, managing to free a hand and try to snake it into the long platinum hair that Cobra so loved when Kaleb kept it down. Before she could get even an inkling of an idea as to just how soft his hair was, Cobra reached up to pull Kaleb down into a consuming kiss while pulling the hair back from the left side of Kalebs neck, showing off the very dark, nearly black mark in his mates sun touched skin. This move had also effectively knocked Cana back from Kaleb, her hands falling to her sides in shock.

After a long moment of silence that had fallen over the entire guild, a high pitched squeal of "the babies!" exploded from the bar area, followed by a thud, and a cheer went up around the guild for Kaleb and Cobra. Breaking away from each other with a smirk, they turned from the still in shock Cana and joined Bix and the others.

"Well, that was certainly one of announcing that you're off the market..." Laxus drawled with a smirk. When Cobra and Kaleb exchanged a look, and then gave matching shrugs, he could only laugh.

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It was much later that evening, when things got even more interesting.

Kaleb was at the bar, leaning on it and smirking as he conversed with Mira who hadn't stopped smiling from the moment she had woken up after seeing Cobra staking his claim for the entire guild to see. Cobra had merely groaned when she had come back to the land of the conscious, lettingg his head fall to the table, and Kaleb had only been able to laugh. After a while, Kaleb had joined Mira, wanting to get some more information regarding the functions of the guild, while Cobra went off to speak with Markarov for a bit.

He had grown comfortable in the guild, and was fully enjoying himself, so when he found himself spun around with mouth still partially opened from speaking, and full on kissed, with a tongue that wasn't his mates delving in to coax his own into an intimate dance, he, well...he froze in shock, his mind simply shutting off.

He recognized the taste, the smell, the feel of the body pressed against him, and with him barely blinking, he saw the closed eyes, and dark green hair that filled his vision. The startled gasp coming from Mira barely registered in his ears, and he was just able to acknowledge the pulsing of blood in his hands as he gripped the edge of the bar hard enough that his knuckles were turning white. Beyond that, he didn't respond to the man trying to coax a reaction out of him.

The man had just leaned back, his eyes opening, a hopeful smile spreading across the mans face. Kaleb had just gotten a glimpse of the edge of the emotions that had been driving Beck, it was Beck, the beast master on his top team of White Sea; when a purple scaled hand shot into Kalebs vision, and before he could stop him, a snarling Cobra had yanked Beck off of Kaleb and thrown him across the hall, causing him to slam into a hard wooden pillar, and making it crack, the sound echoing throughout the once again silent hall.

As Beck slowly, carefully, gained his feet once more, he found his guild master gripping the shoulders of a glaring, snarling, purple scaled man...and gulped. He had the feeling that he had just messed up big time.


	15. Chapter 14

MBS chapter 14

They hadn't been back for long, and after spending far longer than he had wanted in that goddamned cavern filled with sex crazed maniacs, succubi's and incubi's, Gajeel was glad to be home, where he could wash off the smells, and the gross, oily feeling that had been left behind on his skin.

They had just walked into the house, Bix, Levy, and Lily right behind him, not saying a word. They could feel his aggravation, his frustration, at having been so close to a piece of Nightmare scum, and there had been no way to stop the things that had been done to Kaleb by that poor excuse of a man. They could feel his shame and self-disgust at not being able to be stronger, protect his family better.

The door was closed quietly, with them watching as Gajeel stalked to the master bathroom, shedding clothing as he went. Barely a moment later they could hear the sounds of the shower starting. And that was when the quiet curses, echoed by growls, could barely be heard. The only reason Levy and Bix were even aware of those sounds was because it was pulsing along the bond they shared. After everything that happened, it looked like it was Gajeel's turn to need help.

They knew all that had happened, and fought not to shudder themselves, as each memory flashed vividly between them. The part that left them in awe more than anything was that the things that had happened to him, didn't bother him. He had been tortured, used, before, he'd learned over the years how to shrug off the things that had happened directly to him as being insignificant.

No...the part that bothered him, that each memory slowed down to a crawl for him on, was when he was being taunted by the things being done to Kaleb. He could recall the feeling of the cuffs digging into his wrists, the desperation he felt at trying to get to his family who was being tortured again and again right in front of him overrode the pain of his skin splitting open in his attempts to get free.

The leader, Rottbull…had been right there, right in his face, and then Ruger, the oily bastard that had hurt Levy so badly…watching him do what he'd done to Kaleb, hearing his taunts as he'd done it…

"Oh fuck! He's got a better mouth than your pet Black Steel! I like the tongue on yours better though…too bad the drugs don't work as well on this one…bet he'd suck at least as hard right?"

Rugers voice still rang out in his head, the drugs hadn't been pumped into him yet when Ruger had used Kaleb so none of it had been dulled, neither had Kalebs writhing and clenched teeth on that gag in his mouth, he'd smelled the blood seeping from the wound in his brother-in-laws side, seen it oozing out from under the manacles on his wrists and ankles, hadn't missed it coming out of his mouth either as Ruger had been vicious in his use of the White Sea Guild Master, shouted all manner of insult and disgusting comments at him and Gajeel the entire time.

The little bastard hadn't dared go near Gajeel though, no, he'd just abused Kaleb and kept his distance from Kurogane.

Physically he was healed now, thanks to Wendy, but the sight of Kaleb being strapped down and used repeatedly had brought back the memories of what had happened first to Bix, then to Levy. His own nightmares had come to fruition, and he hadn't been able to save any of them. Any of those he loved, or considered family. That knowledge, that fear, was putting a strain on his emotions, his sanity, even now, after they had managed to get them out of that coven.

The fact that he was only now falling apart, after everything that had happened, and that it was because of what had happened to his loved ones, not him, only had Levy and Bickslow loving him even more. Biting back the whimper that wanted to escape her as the curses and growls grew steadily louder, Levy chewed on her lower lip in worry, her brows furrowed. All it took was one look exchanged with Bickslow for him to turn to Lily.

"Hey Lily, would you be willing to go and stay with Wendy and Carla for a day or two?" Bix asked softly.

Nodding sadly, Lily quietly slipped back out the door, leaving the other two to help their falling apart mate.

Taking a deep breath, and without saying a word, they quickly stripped before heading towards the sounds echoing out to them. Reaching the door leading to the master bath, they both felt their heart crack slightly at the sight that greeted them. Gajeel was curled up on himself in the tub, knees drawn up, hands gripping his hair, eyes pressed closed, and teeth clenched.

No words were needed as they stepped forward.

Bickslow exchanged a look with Levy. ' _You cuddle, I'll bathe him_.' His voice came soft into her head and she nodded, climbing into the tub and without looking up Gajeel sat back, let her slide into his lap while Bickslow gathered a few things and then slid into the tub with them.

It was slow, but their steady pushing into him, nuzzles, kisses turning into soft sighs and faint smiles as they washed his body, cleaned away all remnants of the cove that still physically clung to him, he started touching them back, gentle, slow at first but finally his hand fisted in Levys hair and he pulled her head back to kiss her throat and made her moan, his sharp red eyes seeing Bickslow react.

"Please babe…we…seriously need to feel how alive you are…" Bickslow whispered. Gajeels eyes narrowed and he pulled away from Levys mouth, leaving her gasping while he smiled darkly. "Bedroom…now."

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After leaving the bathroom, and drying off, Gajeel was quick to nudge Bix and Levy to sit on the edge of the bed, before striding to the dresser, reaching in to pull out the heavy duty cuffs that he had found on their first day in the house. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to his mates who were watching him with lust filled eyes, fingers laced together between them. He could feel the love pulsing from them and the lust that was driving his own higher.

Taking another deep breath, Gajeel joined them again, standing over them as his presence began to alter ever so slightly. He could feel his mouth quirk slightly as they began to shiver slightly, but keeping their heads and eyes down. Moving slightly, he was quick to fasten one set of cuffs to the poster of the headboard before moving to the other side of the bed and fastening another cuff to the side of the headboard. Sliding onto the bed behind them, he reached out to firmly grip Bickslows hair, and deciding to just get started in the best sadistic way possible, immediately closed his mouth over the mating mark in the side of his mates neck, and sucking on it. Hard.

The reaction was immediate as Bix's eyes rolled into the back of his head with a curse, and his back arched sharply, quickly followed by a very loud and needy moan from Levy as she felt the dragon lust hit both of the men through the bond, and by extension, her. Where Bix had already been at partial mast, waiting to see what Gajeel had planned, and the building heat in Levy's lower belly had been steady, having the mark get pressed in any way shot them both into dragon lust.

Levy was now squirming and dripping, could already feel the heat pooling between her thighs, and gathering under her on the bed. Bix went from partial to full mast, throbbing and aching, twitching uncontrollably, as Gajeel worked him relentlessly as he moved his mouth down over his shoulder, scraping long fangs along Bickslows' skin.

Releasing his hold on Bix's hair, Gajeel followed the curve of his arm down to where they were still grasping each others hands, and with a reassuring pat to her hand, eased Bix from her grasp. Wrapping his arms firmly around his mates torso, Gajeel lifted and twisted at the same time, dragging Bix with him until he had managed to place Bix at the head of the bed. Shifting slightly, Gajeel was quick to straddle Bix's legs, hissing out a needy breath as their rigid lengths pressed against each other for a moment. Taking deeper breaths, he leaned back, and meeting the soul mages gaze with his own, Gajeel was quick to lead one arm up to one cuff and secure it before repeating the process with his other arm, stretching him out.

By now Bix was panting, his chest heaving, eyes narrow in slight defiance at the man still straddling his lap. From the corner of his eye he could see Levy still perched on the edge of the bed, having not yet been told she could move. That, however, did not stop her from watching over the curve of her shoulder, and he could see that, like him, she was panting. Hearing a slight growl, Bix brought his full attention back to Gajeel, and gulped. His lips were drawn back into a silent snarl, or wicked grin, it was a little hard to tell which, but the look did not bode well for him. Or maybe it did. Gajeel was doing a VERY good job at keeping his plans to himself.

Leaning forward, Gajeel was quick to grip Bix's hair, tipping his head back, and with a roll of his body against his mates, Gajeel sealed his mouth over the parted ones below him, ravishing him with scrapes of fangs along soft lips, and dominating the kiss, stealing the breath needed. By the time he broke away from the kiss, needy whimpers could be heard to be growing in volume and occurrence from Levy, and a defeated moan escaped Bix as he tried to follow the lips that had left him behind, his restrained arms keeping him from going far. Gritting his teeth, and glaring at his now smirking mate, Bix sat back with a quiet growl, huffing at the iron studded lifted brow he got in return. He could only watch as Gajeel shifted to the middle of the bed while reaching for Levy, lifting her over to straddle his own lap, her back to his front, placing her on display for Bix. Naturally Bix could only gulp hard at the sight his two mates made together.

He watched as Gajeel knelt on the bed, muscled legs flexed in a bracing manner. Watched as Levy's legs were spread to straddle the muscled legs, bringing her dripping center to his hungry gaze, her arousal permeating the air with a scent that nearly had Bix's head spinning. He drank in the view as Levy's arms lifted to reach back and bury her hands into the mane of dark hair that spilled down Gajeels back, even as Gajeel dropped his head down to scrape sharp fangs along the curve of her shoulder. He could see Gajeel moving ever so slightly, hear Levy starting to gasp, and as he ran his gaze over the two of them, he found that Gajeel had shifted in such a way that his rigid length was now rubbing enticingly against Levy's dripping heat, spreading her bodys natural nectar all over himself.

Then, as if it wasn't enough, Bix could only stare transfixed as Gajeel eased back until the pulsing head of his erection found what it was looking for, and with slow, agonizing inches, Gajeel sunk into her. Increasing mewls and gasps echoed around the room as he eased ever deeper, Bix's breaths matching Levy's as he watched avidly. He could feel her arousal increasing through the bond, feel every pulse of Gajeel sinking in to her.

Finally, finally he could see just as she felt Gajeel press the last inch of his length into her, filling her, stretching her ever so tightly. He knew what it felt like to have Gajeel buried deep, to feel him pulsing, and now, knowing that he could feel it happening to Levy as well, only heightened his arousal further. Hearing a light growl, Bix moved his gaze up to find Gajeel looking at him over Levy's shoulder in wicked delight, goosebumps flowing over her skin from his growl. The way Gajeel's cheeks lifted told Bix he was smirking, and he couldn't understand why, he was too lost in his own arousal, blending with Levy's to follow Gajeel in what he may or may not have planned next.

Licking his lips in anticipation, Gajeel scraped the point of a fang along the dark mating mark, and the explosion of dragon lust that hit Levy and Bix at the same time had their cries echoing out and writhing in place. Bix's arms flexed and strained, wanting to join his mates, as Levy's head fell back on Gajeels shoulder, her back arching, causing her hips to press down harder onto Gajeel, driving him deeper, pushing her voice into a louder cry of pleasure.

And then Gajeel began to move, his hands shifting down to grip Levy's hips, lifting her, and with gritted teeth, pulled her down even as he thrust up into her, driving into her hard, feeling his sack swing up to press against Levy's clit firmly, pushing her higher into her arousal. He could feel her tightening him, could feel her arousal pulsing along the bond, could even feel Bickslow's arousal growing with theirs, and knew that he wasn't going to last, so he set a fast pace. After lifting her initially, he held Levy still, listening to her cries echoing around her room as he began to pound into her from below.

Feeling her grip tightening on his hair, he reached down to press his fingers against her bud, circling and pinching it, rolling it between his fingers, even as with his other arm, which he wrapped around the front of her to grip her opposite shoulder. Pausing for a bare second, he lifted his gaze to find Bix was transfixed, and with a grin, he thrust back into Levy even as he sank his teeth into her mating mark, sending her screaming into an intense orgasm. His own orgasm tore through him, feeding hers as his heated essence pulsed into her hard and deep. He knew she could feel every pulse, every bit that he shot into her, and even beneath it all, he could feel the small seed of hope she had for something else. For now he would leave that hope alone, focusing instead on the here and now.

Lifting his gaze once more, he watched as Bix stiffened, teeth clenched, hands gripping the posts and he felt pride, knowing that Bix had remembered the instructions of not being allowed to cum until he said.

Feeling Levy go limp against him, he carefully eased her from his lap, where she collapsed on the bed, still panting, before moving forward to release Bix from the cuffs. When Bix would have lunged forward to plunge himself down onto the erection that had not yet gone away, Gajeel caught him with a snarl, forcing Bix to his back, asserting his dominance once more, until Bix relented with a pained whimper. Giving him a warning glare, Gajeel shifted to his knees once more, this time grabbing Bix and having the slightly taller man straddle his lap, taking the same position Levy had, and without any pause, drove hard into the man, drawing forth an aroused and slightly pained cry.

Panting, they stayed that way for a moment, trying to get their bearings as Gajeels head fell to Bix's shoulder, and Bix leaned his head against his mates. A few moments passed, and a needy whimper drew their gaze to where Levy was still stretched out, eyes hungry as she watched them. Their bond told them she was already ready for more, for anything they may or may not want to give. Licking his lips at the thought that flashed through the bond from her, Gajeel urged her forward.

Thankfully it didn't take much maneuvering, and her being light weight helped as well as Bix lifted her up by her hips, and Gajeel guided her legs around them, her weight supported by both men. As one, Bix and Gajeel took deep breaths, Gajeel gritting his teeth as Bix reflexively tightened around him even as Bix eased into Levy. The moans that escaped them were loud, primal, and turned into growls as Levy tightened around Bix, causing him to buck into her before driving back into Gajeel.

It was intense, too much for them to last but that wasn't the point this time. Bickslow, joined with both of his mates in every way possible was the first to lose all control, when he came he groaned, head falling back against Gajeels shoulder as he pumped up into Levy, his seed filling her and the shared sensations ripping her over the edge and then Gajeel a few moments later was overwhelmed himself by his mates waves of pleasure washing over him and came himself.

They collapsed in a tangle of limbs on the bed then and this time, Gajeel was maneuvered to the center, Levy and Bickslow encircling him protectively. He lay still, enjoying the satisfied happiness of his mates and narrowed his eyes at the ceiling blindly. He would not let this happen again, he would not miss any opportunity to exact his vengeance on Ruger, Ross, Quince…Rottbull, names branded into his sights until he could see them breathe no more.

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Lucy sighed, placing her book back in her lap, frowning out the window of the train. It was all too much. The whole thing with Cobra was just amazing. She was truly happy for Cobra, of all the people in Fairy Tail even counting herself, Lucy had always felt he needed somebody.

She hadn't exactly pictured a platinum haired Adonis of a man for Fairy Tails Poison Dragon slayer to take as a mate but she had to admit, Kaleb was a hell of a prize and it was already clear, vividly so, that Kaleb loved the Poison Dragon slayer and was fiercely devoted to him, he'd gone through hell and was still struggling, making huge sacrifices to be with Cobra.

She sighed, Cobra deserved that depth of commitment, deserved the love that warmed Kalebs eyes when he looked at the man, he'd suffered so much through his life, Lucy felt good knowing he'd never be alone again, that he had a mate who would move heaven and Earthland for him without hesitation because she didn't doubt Cobra would do the same for Kaleb.

Seeing Cobra slide right against the taller mage, in front of everyone in the guild, play idly with the ends of Kalebs long hair and openly kiss him, exchange warm looks right out in the open then dress down anyone who dared even consider teasing him about it, even getting right up in Wakabas face at one point, all so he could relax and enjoy what he had with his mate, it made Lucys heart warm.

It also increased the odd melancholy, the strange hovering sense something was missing, that she needed something, needed it badly. She let her eyes close. This solo job was a good idea, she needed to get away from watching the new couples, all their happiness she wanted to celebrate and be happy for, not feel bad herself about.

Some time alone pounding out a simple job of running down some bandit that was stealing purses in Onibus would do her good.

She drifted, it was about two hours to Onibus, she was tired and couldn't focus on her book, the rocking of the train soon had her drifting.

She was running her hands over wings, why it was turning her on was the question. One that was answered when the wing she was trailing a hand down was set into deeply tanned, broad muscular shoulders. She didn't see his face, she never did when this dream came, but his hands were heaven, which made sense, he had wings, he was angelic, she was in the arms of an angel.

In typical Lucy fashion, instead of having some deep religious Epiphone, she was making out with the angel. The only religious experience she wanted from the chiseled muscular body she was wrapping herself around involved anything but purity too, no no…Lucy wanted pure sweet sin thank you.

He was kissing her, he was an amazing kisser, this particular dream lover of hers always rocked her world. As she'd grown older the dreams with him had gotten racier, from just kissing to making out, to serious hot and heavy make out to this.

Her laying back in soft grass, legs wrapped around his hips while he pressed a wonderfully thick, long cock into her and started fucking her with wild abandon, his wings providing privacy, silken hair falling around her that had been dark but had become this sun streaked deep red/brown. The wings had gone from white to black too, made sense her angel wouldn't be all white and pure considering what she did with him in her dreams.

The sex was always intense, phenomenal, it was a dream after all, and she'd woken up more than once from these with wet sheets panting damn near willing to swear she should have been leaking angel seed when she dashed to the bathroom to clean up, flushed and blushing even though she was alone…always alone.

She started awake suddenly then, face hitting the train window she'd dozed off against and cringed seeing the window fogged up, afraid to look around her in case she had been moaning or something in her sleep. Natsu had caught her once, been asleep in her bed with her when she'd had one of her angel dreams…holy hell had that been embarrassing.

"Luce, you sounded like you were in pain, seriously, you should see Wendy." He'd said, mistaking her lewd moans and mewls for stomach pain sounds instead of her enjoying being fucked by an angel in a wet dream.

"I will later, I feel better, maybe I was having a nightmare about a stomach ache, like if you dreamed about riding on the train." She had replied and he'd cringed and turned a little green at the mention of riding a train.

"Yeah that's always a terrible dream." He'd agreed.

So she'd dodged that bullet, but a few glances told her the woman sitting across the isle holding her child looking at Lucy like she had six heads and all of them were demonic, told her nobody sitting near her would buy she was having a bad dream.

She was grateful to get off the train, kept her eyes on the floor while she hurried from it and didn't hesitate or look around until she was approaching the Silver Swan hotel who were the requesters for her job, some of their guests had been robbed and they were well over dealing with that.

The manager was happy to see her, and smiled smugly when Lucy laid out her plan and pointed out how she, as a pretty young woman, would be a prime target for a purse snatcher so she would use herself as bait.

Checked into her room so she could clean up and make herself look like a juicy target Lucy smiled to herself. Nice big room, large jetted bathtub, her meals were being covered by the hotel too and a 300K reward? She was going to gleefully sink her teeth into this job and enjoy her break from Natsu, Erza, Gray and the romance that should make her happy for her friends but was instead stirring some sort of sorrow, an aching needy place she'd never known was there before that was suddenly nagging at her, more and more as she'd watched Levy come together with Gajeel and Bickslow, seen Cobra, private reserved Cobra snatch his tall mate and kiss him senseless while yanking the mans long hair aside to show off the Poison Slayers name in draconic dark in tanned skin on Kalebs neck.

All of it just…disturbed her. She felt like that White Sea mage had looked when Cobra had flung him across the guild hall for kissing Kaleb, stricken and scared. It bothered her so much too because it wasn't like her, it wasn't who she was. At least it wasn't who she thought she was anyway.

She narrowed her eyes and summoned Virgo and Loke to go over her plans with them, she had to just power through it all.

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Natsu watched as Cobra leaned back, seated across the guild hall with the Raijinshuu where he usually was the Poison Slayer mystified Natsu suddenly. Not that the man had changed much, still a foul mouthed short fused sarcastic ass, but suddenly, he was smiling faintly…a lot.

Natsus nose made it clear the slayer was, as Bickslow had already pointed out enough Wendy had been needed to clear Poison from his system, "getting him some" and according to the Seith mage this was a major key to happiness. Levy pretty much smelled like sex every day anymore and the scents of those three were so mingled anymore they had become a unique scent in the air all together.

Kalebs apple-like scent was mingled strongly now with Cobras poisonous floral scent, it wasn't unpleasant at all really, just different. But Cobras sudden habit of usually, in some way or another, being in direct physical contact with his mate was different. Cobra had just never seemed like the type to want to touch a lot, but Cobra was leaning against Kaleb at the moment, Kaleb straddling the bench so Cobra could sit between his legs and do so. Kaleb was absently running his fingers through Cobras hair, intermittently leaning forward to rest his chin on the mans shoulder too while he worked with his aid, Laxus and Gaza.

The big beast master who had kissed Kaleb the first day Cobra and Kaleb had returned to the guild after mating, sat by the other White Sea mages, casting glances toward his Guild Master, but Cobra curled a lip at him once and he stopped.

He wasn't happy Lucy had taken another solo mission, she'd gone on a bunch of them since Levy had mated and he knew she wasn't happy, he just couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Heaving a sigh he pushed himself to his feet and crossed over to the mission board. Erza was busy with Jellal, Gray had bailed on a solo mission to escape Juvia and he was too bored to keep sitting around. He wasn't sleeping real well lately. Had been having all these crazy dreams. The only time he slept was if he went outside and laid in the grass under the moonlight.

The moon had been dominating his dreams, it was bizarre, he had always been comforted by laying under the night sky, gazing up at the moon, he felt like it was something related to Lucy, it had to be, she was always looking up at the stars, all big about stargazing.

The person in his dreams though, they had black hair and sometimes he didn't even see them, just knew they were there and he'd hear this thrilling possessive growl….which was definitely NOT Lucy, but maybe it was his own growl? It confused him, especially where the person he dreamed about, who even he knew beyond doubt he was drawn to…powerfully…had black hair, not blonde. The dreams were sometimes wild and thrilling too, the black haired person had a touch that cooled his skin, and they were strong, powerfully so, able to pin him to the ground, because in a few of his dreams they had done just that…and he'd liked it…a lot.

That didn't make sense either, because he hated losing fights. It didn't happen often, he and Gray often came out in draws or were broken up or fought until the both passed out. He'd lost to Laxus, and the one time he'd gone at Cobra the Poison slayer had blown some noxious vapor into his face that had left him sick to his stomach for a few days until master Makarov had made Cobra reverse whatever it was because Wendy hadn't been able to cleanse it.

He smiled faintly, finding a job asking for someone to come and clean out a small dark guild that was causing problems just outside a nearby town. There was a note stating they believed the dark guild was stealing souls and Natsu snatched the flier. Bickslow was fun to work with usually, and wasn't busy, he could ask him to go along and probably have the whole thing done before nightfall if they left first thing in the morning.

"Hey Bix! You busy tomorrow?" He called. The Seith looked up and cocked his head when Natsu held up the flier. He shifted himself out from under Levys legs and, knocking Kalebs hair over Cobras face snickered and dodged a half hearted swipe from Cobra who didn't resist his mates arm snapping around him and keeping him where he was. Kaleb rarely rose to Bickslows teasing, way too used to it.

"Whatcha got Toaster?" Bickslow asked with a smirk and snatched the flier from Natsus hand.

"Soul stealing…huh…yeah ok, I'll go with you." Bickslow nodded and Natsu grinned.

"Great! We can leave in the morning ok? Won't take long to knock out 8-10 dark mages, be back before dinner!" He said brightly.

Happy to have something to look forward to he left the guild a short time later to check and see if Happy had come home from his latest trip to see his parents yet and to make sure he left a note for his buddy so he wouldn't worry.

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Lucy cursed under her breath, three days she'd walked around trying to be a target and saw nothing, not a rotten stinking thing, Onibus was the picture of a calm serene town and while she was enjoying her suite at the hotel and not having to cook, and the manager was actually apologetic about the job taking so long, swearing the snatcher had been an almost nightly issue before she got there and please please don't leave, she was annoyed.

She was lingering in front of a store, just staring at the sculpted candles and such on display thinking when across the street was a shriek and she snapped her head around and almost grinned seeing a slender man racing away and a woman knocked to the ground "My bag! He took my bag!"

Gripping Virgos key she yanked her heels off and ran after the man, summoning Virgo as she ran, her whip lighting up as she unfurled it from her bag. "Virgo, try to get ahead of him!" She called when the maid appeared. She snaked her whip out but the asshole was fast, and he laughed at her LAUGHED! And shot a blob of some weird looking gray fluid right out of his hand at her she narrowly dodged…shit…the snatcher was a fucking mage!

"You won't be laughing long you jerk!" She called and he laughed again "Those big tits are slowing you down sugar!"

Lucy grit her teeth, oh she was going to kick his ass into next week now!

The thief ripped around a corner and Lucy was right behind him, cursing because her whip had snagged a street post right by where he'd suddenly turned and she yanked it free bringing it back around, smiling faintly, he'd ducked down an alley and there was nothing obstructing her whip now.

Snaking it up she was about to send it around his ankles when something hit her in the back, hard, the wind was blasted right out of her before she even had a chance to fall and knock it out that way, when she hit the ground she tumbled and rolled right into the brick wall and the world went black.

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It was supposed to have been a simple take out a small dark guild job. Simple. Easy. Get in, get some information, get out. It was even in a couple of towns over from Magnolia, so being home by nightfall was expected.

Well. Best laid plans and all that.

Or, more accurately, best laid plans, and Natsu. He really should have known better. Bickslow pressed his lips together in frustration.

Yea, that was chaos waiting to happen.

Now night had fallen, and not too far away Bix could see Natsu standing with a sheepish smile on his face as the dark guild hall burned away, and the flames started reaching for the trees that kept the guild hidden.

"Good going idiot! We were supposed to capture the mages that are currently trapped in there! You made the mess, had to set the place on fire, now go get them out!" Bix snapped with narrowed eyes at Natsu. He had to fight not to growl when Natsu waved a hand in a flippant manner and dived into the storm of fire. He had no idea what had made the fire dragon slayer thing that setting the place on fire was a good idea, but he sure as hell wasn't going to dive into that hell hole if Natsu could drag the ten members of the small dark guild out himself.

Huffing out an exasperated breath, Bix leaned back against a tree that had managed to escape being burned yet. Keeping his senses sharp, he heard a twig snap behind him and spun around, immediately calling one of his totems over to attack only for the person to duck out of the way.

"Damn, it's been months since we've seen each other and that's how you say hello Bix?" A young mans voice asked as a tall silhouette stepped out of the shadows of the trees, letting the fire cast a glowing appearance on the mans white clothes.

"Cristoff!" Bix greeted with a laugh, darting forward to wrap his younger brother in a crushing hug.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, stepping back and gripping the mans shoulders, giving him a quick look over to make sure he hadn't hit him.

"I came to Fairy Tail to check on Kaleb and visit for a bit and was told you were out on a job. Figured I'd see if I could pitch in, maybe have some fun with my older brother. I was told the closest town, came to the edge of it, then followed the signs. Of course a sudden fire appearing out of nowhere gave me a clue as well." Cristoff explained with a shrug, shifting his gaze over Bix's shoulder to take in the burning building. Seeing his brother slump a bit in defeat, Cristoff raised a questioning brow.

They'd done it before, he'd visited after Tartaros, come to stay a few weeks while Bickslow struggled to recover and the guild had fallen apart. Been there to make sure the Raijinshuu recovered fully and taken some jobs with them as they got back on their feet. He'd always enjoyed being around Bickslow, had always looked up to him and his steady ability to keep his sense of humor through anything.

Cristoff had grown a great deal, and an interest in weight workouts and becoming a knight, getting the power and strength boost the Immaculate light doled out, he was as tall as Bickslow now at 22 but outweighed him by probably 30 or so pounds of extra muscle. Physical strength amplified his magic power, made him a better healer, so he took it seriously.

Then of course there was always the full moons, Bickslow and Vander both had always made a point of hanging around him during full moons because of the effect they had on him and the side effects his magical overflow had. Cristoff was a Lunar Dragon Slayer, taught by the Lunar dragon Nurem. The moonlight fed his magic, made it stronger, and, when the moon was full, he tended to put off pheromones.

At over 6'4", muscular build with long straight black hair he usually kept tied back either fully or in a partial shimada so it was out of his eyes. He tended to get a lot of female attention anyway, add in him pumping off draconic pheromones because he was drunk on lunar magic which tended to make him…well…horny as hell and full moons around him usually involved small to large orgies since he was 16 and had started going through mating seasons. Bickslow and Vander had VERY much enjoyed all the fun he stirred up and even Laxus had gone through a couple of full moons with them, stunned by how many women just would, show up, already determined to get their share of the fun and since there was only one Cristoff, anyone with him tended to not just get lucky on full moons, they tended to have wild insane nights with all the women he'd draw.

His raised brow made Bickslow sigh though. No fun to be had here it seemed.

"That would be Natsu. The job mentioned that a dark guild may have been stealing souls, and with everything going on lately, Natsu was quick to grab it, then ask me to come along for the souls part. Naturally, I came along, it was supposed to be easy, and we've been wanting to do some renovations on the basement of the house so I figured, what the hell, easy money. We got here, and Natsu was about to storm in there when something distracted him, and he ended up setting the place on fire instead." Bix explained, turning to scowl at the still burning building.

He hadn't seen Natsu come back out yet, and was starting to get worried, but he knew he couldn't get in there without some serious injuries. And the last thing he wanted was to get home to his mates and have them see him hurt. The amount of pain that Gajeel and Levy would dish out to Natsu was more than Bix would get from Natsu's fire.

"He's still in there isn't he?" Cristoff asked, running his gaze over the building in consideration.

"It looks like it unfortunately. I thought he'd be out by now." Bix winced at the sound of some wood collapsing inside of the building.

"I'll go check on him, see if I can lend a hand. Since you're not fire proof and all." Cristoff assured him with a clap to his shoulder before hurrying off to dive into the flames as well.

"Alright, thanks Cris." Bix said gratefully with a nod, Cristoffs magic provided him with a nice buffer against fire and heat, it was why he could work alongside their sister Emzadi, a Solar Mage, growing up Cristoff had always been the only person who could deal with her when she had nightmares or was going through something that got her magic flaring, anyone else ran the risk of getting vaporized.

The smoke inside the building was thick, but the high ceilings of the of the guild hall allowed for slightly easier breathing down near the floor. Narrowing his eyes against the sting of the smoke and the heat of the flames, Cristoff made his way quickly through the fire, checking rooms by busting them open.

It wasn't until he had managed to make his way downstairs where the fire hadn't reached yet that he found the guild members. Peering at the large distracted group from the door way, he saw each member, six men, four women, sneering down at something they were gathered around.

"Should we take him with us?" One of them asked.

"If we do we'll need to slap some magic canceling cuffs on him. And don't forget the star bitch in the other room."

"They're fairy scum, maybe we can use them to bring them to heel. Wouldn't want anything to happen to their precious nakama right?" Was said with a sneer.

"And did you guys hear what he said when he found the blond bimbo? 'Oh Lucy, I'm so sorry, I didn't know! We'll get you out of here! And when we get back to the guild, I'll finally tell you how I feel about you!'" Another member mocked with a high pitched voice before laughing. "It's pathetic! Couldn't even get his precious girlfriend out of here before being knocked out himself, what an idiot!"

Cristoff had to fight back the urge to growl, seeing a hint of pink and tan peeking from between the gathered legs. He could see that someone had been knocked out, and the faint smell he was picking up under the smell of smoke had his dragon going nuts. Pink hair, he'd not seen that often, had always liked it when he had, he preferred light colored hair, and he'd been getting some pretty steamy dreams going on the trip to Fiore involving pink haired lovers.

Male and female too and he hadn't delved into masculine attention and pleasures in a while, maybe it was time to seek some out.

Odd for him that his dragon was going haywire because his dragon soul was usually pretty quiet. It set him a little on edge.

Hints of pine, and campfires that brought to mind star gazing, and warm cuddles had him shifting restlessly as his lips lifted into a silent snarl. There was something about hearing that the person the others were gathered around saying that to someone else that had his blood boiling.

But this wasn't the time. Taking a deep breath, gathering his magic he let his attack flow out of him in a single smooth move, letting his sleep spell go with it, knocking the members out and dropping them to the floor in a heap. Watching them collapse, he became aware of the increasing heat, and took a moment to soak it in, lowering the room temperature by a good bit before striding forward, and drawing down the moons power through the hole the blazing fire had created, did his lunar shift, bringing the eleven mages he was in the middle of outside to his brother.

He was glad that his brother had gotten used to him doing his lunar shift and didn't jump when he suddenly appeared with a large group of unconscious mages. He did, however, see Bix's mouth drop in shock.

"What the hell happened?!" Bix asked, rushing forward to start snapping magic canceling cuffs on the mages he didn't recognize.

"I'm not entirely sure. Found them downstairs, the guild gathered around him, and talking about a blond, star mage in another room-"

"Wait, Lucy is in there?!"

"I'm going now, be back in a moment." Cristoff stated and sure enough he disappeared, returning moments later with a blonde mage cradled in his arms. She didn't appear to be any worse for the wear, but as soon as the cuffs on her wrists were gone, a flash of gold light appeared, and Virgo stepped out of her gate beside them.

"Thank you for bringing the princess out of the fire, dragon slayer." Virgo said in her monotone voice, bowing slightly. "If you want to get her and Natsu back to Fairy Tail, I'll take the dark mages to the authorities and gather the reward for the job."

"What about the souls that were mentioned in the flyer?" Bix asked, not worried about her taking over the rest of the mission.

"I know where they are. I'll collect those after I secure the criminals and bring the souls to you after getting the pay." Virgo explained.

"Hey, sounds good to me." Bix nodded, reaching down to grab Natsu when Cristoff quickly shoved Lucy into his arms instead and picked up Natsu himself. Blinking in confusion, he shook his head and instead stood still, feeling Cristoff grasp his shoulder and activate his lunar shift spell. A moment later found them standing on the front steps of the guild, and they hurried inside to the infirmary with Wendy quickly following behind them.

Setting them down and making sure they were comfortable, Cristoff lifted his hands over Natsu's body, casting his own healing spell as Wendy did the same with Lucy. A few moments later their spells disappeared, and they exchanged a smile in reassurance.

Wendy skimmed her eyes over Lucy carefully, frowning slightly at finding an odd puncture wound on her arm but a little more healing to the spot brushed it away as well.

"They're both going to be just fine. A bit of rest would be good for them, but overall they're fine." Wendy told Bix who had remained, standing at the foot of the infirmary beds.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that." Bix said with his own smile. A quick flash of gold announced Virgos arrival, and he turned to see her bowing to him slightly. A medium size box, and a bag of jewels were held out to him, and he accepted them with his thanks before she disappeared once more.

"I'm going to go down and get some food, Wendy, would you like to join me? I'd like to speak with you about the spell you were using on Lucy." Cristoff asked with a small smile.

"Sure! They'll be fine now, they're just resting Bix, they'll wake up soon enough." Wendy agreed, nodding at Bix as well.

"Well why don't we all go down then, and I can treat you to a meal since you helped us Cristoff."

"I am not one to turn down a free meal." Cristoff smiled at him, glancing down at Natsu again for a moment before turning back to follow Bix and Wendy.

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Taking a deep breath as he left his dreams filled with the moon and an odd, yet enticing smell of damp earth, dew covered grass, and mint, Natsu slowly opened his eyes to the dim lights above him. It took him a moment but he was able to figure out that he was in the guilds infirmary and he wasn't entirely sure how he had gotten there. The last thing he remembered was seeing Lucy chained up in a room of that dark guilds basement, and feeling the anger wash over him as he started to work on getting her free.

He remembered telling her that he would tell her how he felt when they got home, a sudden sharp pain in the back of his head, and then darkness. Now, catching the smell of strawberries and stardust, he looked to his right and found her on the bed next to his, beginning to wake up as well. Smiling softly, he eased out of his own bed and perched on the edge of her bed at her hip, resting his hand on hers.

Seeing her eyes flutter open, he felt his grin spread further on his face in happiness. He could feel that something didn't quite feel right, but he pushed that aside to focus on the honey brown eyes that flickered around the room before landing on him.

"Natsu?"

"Hey Luce, everything's ok, we're at Fairy Tail."

"What happened?"

"Not entirely sure. Bix and I went on a mission together because of what the flyer explained, but when we got there, we found you as well. I got knocked out when I was trying to get you free, and then I woke up here. So your guess is as good as mine." Natsu explained with a shrug and sheepish smirk.

"As long as we're all ok, and managed to stop the dark guild, that's what matters right?"

"Yep. I'm sure Bix will tell us when we get downstairs."

"We should probably go then, getting some food too would probably help us feel better."

"Sounds good to me Luce, but, uh, before we do that, I wanted to talk to you about something." Natsu agreed before suddenly sounding shy, feeling his cheeks heat as he lifted a hand to the back of his neck while he watched her scoot up into a sitting position.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Um, well...we've known each other for a long time now Luce, we've been through a lot together, and, well, I've wanted to talk to you about this for a long time." Natsu stated, feeling butterflies and his nerves spike. He didn't notice that flames had started to flicker along his skin with his nerves, or that Lucy was getting a worried look on her face as she backed up a bit more.

"Natsu, I don't think-" Lucy said nervously, eyeing the flames that were slowly starting to grow in intensity around him. He'd burned her plenty of times, Gods she was getting to where the smell of burn cream was a familiar thing to her and she really didn't want to visit that right then, or have Cancer try to fix burned off hair or have to replace burned off clothes.

"Please Luce, I need to say this." Natsu interrupted, gulping hard against the ball of nerves in his throat. Something didn't feel right, like something was trying to get him to stop what he was about to do, fighting against him on the inside. Biting his lip hard, keeping his eyes shut, he didn't see the denial on Lucy's face, or the reservation she felt at knowing that she had to let him say it. He didn't notice the door to the infirmary opening behind him either, too focused on trying to get what he needed to say out.

"Lucy, I've known for a long time that I-" He wasn't able to finish as he found himself suddenly silenced by a firm hand in his hair, pulling his head back, and a kiss that stole his breathe from his lungs. A cool taste of mint with the smell of cool water and dew drenched grass flooded his senses, and the tongue that claimed his mouth, his breath, and what he would've sworn was his very soul had him whimpering in sudden need as he hands blindly reached out to grip strong shoulders.

Lucy watched in stunned amazement as the tall raven haired man bent Natsu back and was just…devouring his mouth, sweet Mavis it was one of the hottest things Lucy had ever witnessed.

The man was just…built, his clothes looked foreign somehow, he wore a lot of white, the cloak he wore in white and pale blue and had the image of a white rolling see under a pale blue sky and golden sun on it.

Natsu was whimpering, gripping the mans broad shoulders, fingers of his left hand turning to close around thick black hair.

The spark that blazed through him had his dragon roaring in ecstasy, and his flames escaping his control.

All of his instincts narrowed in on the person he felt under his hands, the smell that was driving his dragon crazy within him.

As flames started to roll off of Natsu and the heat in the room skyrocketed Lucy saw the places where Natsu was touching the black haired man hiss faintly with steam but never burn.

Natsu didn't hear the shouted curses spilling from Bix as he bolted forward to yank Lucy away from them and the flames that were suddenly blazing out of control; he didn't hear the desperate shouts for Levy to help contain the fire before it demolished the infirmary. He didn't even notice that Levy had to cast the runes from the door and was barely able to even do so because of the heat pumping off of him. He didn't hear the heated conversation that happened between Bix and those who had joined him at the entrance to the infirmary.

All he could hear was the racing heart pressed against his own, and the harsh breathes struggling to make its way into their lungs. All he was aware of was just how right it felt to be pressed against this person who was kissing all form of sense or reason from him, stealing his voice even.

And that was when the one thing he did need to be aware of connected in his chaotic mind.

Mine.

This person is Mine.

He could feel his chaos crashing against the person and the calm that came back, the strength, cool, soothing unwavering response sent every part of him clinging to them, the greater the chaotic wildfire that was his roared, the stronger the returning calm.

Before the flames could incinerate the infirmary, before they did more than even singe blankets the person kissing him had overcome his chaos and enveloped him in the cool misty feel of the night.

He'd been pulled up from the bed, crushed against a firm strong body, an arm was around his back supporting him, the other hand still gripping his hair, keeping him pressed firmly into the slanting lips moving on his.

His hands moved up, fisted in long black locks so he could kiss them back hungrily, needing the peace, the calm…the oasis in his storm.

His dragon had chosen. And this person he couldn't get enough of kissing was his-

"You're mine!" Was whispered harshly against his lips, yanking Natsu to the moment, and allowing him to be able to pull his eyes open, his own dark red eyes meeting with pure silver. Gulping he nodded, still silent.

"You're my mate, and I am yours." The deep voice echoed firmly in his ears and he shuddered as everything took that final step into place.

Yes. Finally they had found each other. They were mates. He was struggling to catch his breath now, staring in stunned amazement at who held him.

He'd not seen him before, or if he did he didn't remember, no…if he had he would have remembered, there was no way the black haired man before him wouldn't have registered, even in Natsus riotous mind.

"Who…who are you?" He managed. The smile that came made his chest tighten.

"Cristoff…Bickslows younger brother… a Lunar Dragon Slayer, son of Nurem, and you…Natsu…." He glanced to the singes on the blankets of the infirmary bed, the places still smoldering in the room "A fire Dragon Slayer…you are my mate…mine alone…" He growled and Natsu shuddered, teetering between growling back or whimpering, his dragon was more inclined to just roll over, offer itself to the Lunar Slayer, greedily beg for more of him.

Cristoff had felt Natsu swaying toward the blonde woman, torn in a confusion over a deep friendship he had, thinking it had to mean more, trying uncertainly to reach out for the mate the pink haired man wanted so badly but in innocent confusion, didn't know how to find, how to look.

He really hadn't either, aside from dreams about sex with pink haired lovers he really hadn't had much of a clue himself, Cristoffs dragon soul had never been pushy inside of him before, but when he'd heard Natsu starting to try and confess something to the blonde…Lucy, he wouldn't let him finish, he didn't care what it was, he sensed indecision and confusion and he wouldn't let his mate, falter.

The pink haired slayer was more lithe, slender, than Cristoff was, smaller, inches shorter, but he'd felt the raw power in him, and the chaos, the riots within this mans soul were…shocking to Cristoff, whose own soul, mind, body had always been calm.

He himself only ever lost control of his magic during full moons, one of which was coming, only a day away now, his magic was running high because of it. But even in the grip of a full moon Cristoff didn't come apart in a destructive blaze like Natsu…his Natsu.

He'd have to be the strength, the calm and peace between them…he could feel that, but then, Natsus energy burned so bright, so filled with life it was invigorating…heating…made his dragon hunger to harness it, Gods help him, the man tasted of campfires and smelled of summer. Holding him, feeling him still pressed against him, he had a hard time loosening his hold to let the man sink back to sit on the bed.

"Cristoff…my…mate…" Natsu breathed and Cristoff smiled again, glancing back to see Bickslow and the others at the door, several wide sets of eyes on them, Bickslow rapping his head against the doorframe.

He chuckled, well…he'd always been dedicated to finding his mate, looking at the wide eyed slayer sitting on the bed he drew a breath, affection already strong in his chest for the man, the desire to feel that fire burn hot again stirring too, he'd felt Natsus fangs lengthen as they had kissed, his own had done the same, itching to be buried into the curve of that neck, to make that lithe body writhe, hear those whimpers…

He bit back a growl but his eyes shifting through midnight blue to a silvery swirl had Natsus casting between their usual obsidian and red in answer. So much passion he could see, feel, it was laced with chaos he would have to harness…something else that certainly piqued his interest. He curled a lip, baring a section of white fang and growling and watched the red flare but the other slayers head turn slightly, baring neck and his dragon purred inside of him….he'd definitely enjoy this…


	16. Chapter 15

Natsu sat unhappily at the table he usually was at. Erza frowned at him. "You should be happy Natsu, you've found your mate. Cristoff is a strong mage, well respected in his guild and homeland. S-class ranked and a decorated Knight. I am interested in perhaps sparring with him myself, so why are you pouting?" She demanded, trying to keep her voice gentle, it was a struggle for her, her instinct with Natsu usually leaned toward forceful things by necessity.

"I just, I dunno, I got everything all messed up, I had no idea what I was feeling, I mean, I kept feeling this stronger and stronger need to be with someone and that's normal, Gajeel said it was, the more mating seasons we go through unmated the worse that gets. But I didn't understand my dreams, didn't get my feelings, I fucked it all up, hell I thought Lucy was the one and fuck…." He laughed a little harshly and saw Lucy wince but figured it was just the whole close call she barely dodged him coming on to her thing.

"I sure had that wrong, Lucy is a little blonde girl and Cristoff…well…look at him…" He gestured toward his mate who was currently talking with Bickslow and Kaleb at the Raijinshuu table. Standing by Freed he dwarfed the Rune mage and stood even with Laxus, the two men able to look eye to eye and Cristoff as wide shouldered and built as Laxus was, slightly taller than Gajeel who was also there talking, helping Cristoff plan how to handle the day ahead.

Lucy looked down at the table, not looking at him, her face red after looking over at Cristoff standing with his brothers and the Raijinshuu. Something about the Pradesh brothers, there was a draw to them, she felt it and it was strong and odd, like Cristoff drew her, yes he was attractive, Gods the man was a muscular handsome thing with thick long black hair and dark blue eyes flecked with silver, so his eyes looked like a night sky and he had, in Lucys opinion, some seriously kissable lips to go along with his elegantly masculine face.

He wasn't as "beautiful" as Kaleb, Kaleb was fucking unreal with that silvery blonde hair of his, that she had noted Cobra spent a lot of time playing with and had grabbed Canas wrist twice when the Card mage had, seeing it annoyed him and being Cana, kept trying to sneak a feel in. Cobra guarded his mate pretty jealously, it was really pretty endearing if a little terrifying. Kaleb, thankfully, had a good sense of humor about it.

The whole thing with Natsu had gotten to her, added to what she was already struggling with. She hadn't wanted him to be in love with her, that wasn't it, Natsu was like a precious brother to her, no the issue was that Natsu, somewhat clueless impetuous Natsu, had a handsome, compassionate, successful mate, who already showed he was willing and able to deal with all of Natsus crap, all of his recklessness, everything, Cristoff wasn't put off at all by it, seemed almost to be enjoying the challenges his wild natured mate was laying out in front of him.

All of that, all of Natsus baggage and the fact he wasn't even really looking or interested in a relationship with someone, yet there Cristoff was and she was watching Natsu watched his mate with worried eyes and heaved a sigh.

"It's ok Natsu, it doesn't matter ya know? He's here, you two found each other, that's the important thing right? Once the mating is done…he's yours and you're his and the two of you will always have each other and that's beautiful, amazing, something everyone prays for, I know I do…" Lucy said trying to keep her tone positive and smile reassuring and bright.

It worked, he grinned and reached across the table, pulled her forehead to his like he had done so many times. "You're awesome Luce." He said warmly and she smiled genuinely then.

Natsu sat back after a moment, finding Cristoffs eyes on him again, a smile on the Lunar slayer, he'd seen the exchange, probably heard it too, no possessive growl from him meant he'd respected it, and what was between him and Lucy too. He pressed his lips together, he was happy, he really was, but now that his mate was right here in front of him, he was impatient, desperately so, to make it all happen, to claim him, to be claimed himself and so his worried frustrated look returned within minutes.

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The following day came almost faster than he wanted it to.

He wasn't going to lie.

He still felt like an idiot.

He should've been paying attention to the feeling of revulsion that his dragon had been telling him when he had tried to tell Lucy he loved her. Now though, he felt bad for putting Lucy through what had to have been an awkward, and possibly dangerous situation. He wanted to go and apologize to her, and was just standing from the table to do so when he caught a familiar scent and froze in place, turning his head slightly until he found the silver eyes of his just found mate across the hall from him. Filled with a warning.

Gulping, he quickly sat back down, hunching his head and dropping his eyes to the table.

He wouldn't lie.

He also felt beyond overwhelmed. He had had some experiences, with both males and females, wanting to get an idea of what he'd like, but never, never had he felt like this. Of course, it being his mate causing this feeling, it wasn't too surprising.

Sure he had enjoyed himself the other times, but he had had to have a tight leash on his magic at the time. Had even gone as far as to have a single magic canceling cuff on to take away most of his magic, and his tendency to lose control in the throes of pleasure had made every time a little awkward.

And now, the day of the full moon, he was a complete ball of nerves. The day before, when they had still been in the infirmary, he had been thoroughly warned about what Cristoff was like on full moons, being a Lunar Dragon Slayer, he would be what Bickslow called "moon drunk", overflowing with power. Leaning over the table with a sigh, propping his head on folded arms, he let his thoughts drift, taking him back to the day before.

(Flashback)

Cristoff curled a lip, baring a section of white fang and growling and watched the red flare but the other slayers head turn slightly, baring neck and his dragon purred inside of him...he'd definitely enjoy this...

Seeing the tip of that fang bared in a dominant snarl had Natsu shivering, acting instinctively as he tilted his head to expose his neck further to the slightly older decidedly larger slayer. He could only watch through narrowed eyes as Cristoff turned, and with a simple glare had everyone at the door to the infirmary leaving them be. When Cristoff turned back to him, he stayed where he was, waiting for some sign of what was wanted.

Dropping down beside him, Cristoff was quick to shift back until he was braced against the still intact headboard, and reaching out, yanked Natsu into his arms, back to front, and drop his head down to nuzzle further into the heat and campfire smell that made up his mate. He knew that they needed to talk, especially before the full moon, so what better time then now?

"Natsu...there are some things that need to be discussed." Cristoff murmured, delighting in feeling the fire dragon slayers body shudder against his own. With every word spoken, his lips had brushed ever so slightly against the others skin, and the heat had increased, making him want just roll around in it.

"Like what? I'm guessing you mean aside from the fact that we're mates." Natsu sighed, his head rolling on his neck as he felt the larger male nuzzle and rub against him.

"Indeed." Cristoff agreed with a happy purr. "In just a days time, it'll be a full moon, which means I'll be at my peak power wise. During this time I'm usually what Bix has accurately named, Moon Drunk. I have an immense surplus of power flowing through me, and there are any number of ways for me to help get through it. I'll admit, I usually would take a number of lovers for the night." Cristoff paused in his explanation, biting back a smirk at the possessive growl that erupted from the pink haired slayer, running his hands over him in a soothing manner.

"Don't worry, that isn't going to happen this time, or ever again. Now that I've found you, I'll just expend that energy on you. Which will be plenty of fun all on its own." Cristoff stated, confidence heavy in his voice. Feeling Natsu press back against him in response had him letting out a low growl as he clamped down on Natsu's hips, stilling him for further torment. "I do need to warn you however, that my power, especially during a full moon, draws others I put off an attractive aura, a really strong one, men and women alike. They'll want to be with me, and where before I may not have turned them away, this time I will. I need you to trust me on that ok?" Feeling Natsu pause, then hesitantly nod, Cristoff continued.

"I've been waiting, looking for you, for years. I've always had a thing for lighter haired people, with a strong fondness for those with rare pink hair. Now I know why. When we go downstairs I'll speak with Freed and Levy about placing protective seals and barriers on the room I'm staying in at Bix's. During the day of the full moon, we'll need to be here at the guild."

"Why? Can't we just stay there while they're putting the shields up?" Natsu asked, admittedly with a whine to his voice. Already he could feel his dragon pressing him to turn and pounce on the lunar dragon slayer, to set his mark on the mans neck for all to see.

Feeling the hardness pressing into his lower back, he knew he wasn't the only one fighting instincts at the moment.

"Because once the day begins I'll start feeling the power up immediately. And I don't trust myself to not bend you over the closest thing there and bury myself in you repeatedly until your screaming my name and the mark has been placed." Cristoff growled, gripping the slim hips tighter and pressing him closer, letting the hardness that wasn't going away validate what he was saying. Hearing the light gasp followed by a whine escape from Natsu had Cristoff gritting his teeth.

"And before you ask, no, we can't just do it here. Yes there are some barriers that Levy put up, but it's not enough, not for this. We could easily destroy this part of the guild, and I really don't think you want to be on the receiving end of Markarov's wrath for that. I know I don't." Huffing out a breath, he wrapped his arms around Natsu tighter. "You have no idea how badly I want to set my mark in you right now, but it isn't the right time. Each of us slayers does best marking our mates when our elements are around. For my sister Emzadi, in the middle of the day, with the sun at its highest point is best for her. For me, it's when the moon is full and at its highest point at night."

"What about me?" Natsu asked curiously. Hearing the amused chuckle vibrate from behind him had him grinning slightly.

"We'll have multiple candles, and a fire going in the fireplace to help feed your own power." Cristoff explained, leaning back down to scrape his teeth along the skin just below his ear. Catching the sensitive lobe between his teeth, he purred against the skin, reveling in the pleasured jump followed by a lust filled moan.

"But I can promise you this Natsu, by this time tomorrow night, you will be screaming my name, and I will be sinking my fangs into you." Cristoff breathed before lunar shifting away from his mate just as he spun around to lunge at him in need.

(Flashback ends)

Now, Natsu was draped over the table, pouting, for once glaring at the light that was shining ever so merrily and brightly through the windows of the guild hall. He could feel Cristoffs gaze on him, and refused to acknowledge it, because he wasn't entirely sure about his control. It was only one in the afternoon, and it would be at least another six or seven hours before they would even consider heading back to Bix's house where Cristoff was staying, where Freed and Levy were at that moment, casting, and layering spell after protective spell on the room to help contain what would be happening there later.

Just the thought of what he knew would be happening later had him shifting uncomfortably. He was on the point of sulking and whining. He wanted his mate dammit, he didn't want to have to wait.

"Dear gods you're pitiful." An amused snarky voice stated as the body attached to it dropped down across from him.

"Fuck off Erik." Natsu snapped, shifting to bang his head on the table. Yep, this was getting to him, he didn't do well waiting, and now he wasn't even giving good insults. Maybe he really was pathetic. He couldn't even tell when his dragon was-

"Stop that. You aren't at fault for not knowing what the hell was going on with your dragon when you weren't taught what to look for." Another voice piped up, settling in next to Erik, leaning his elbows against the table. Kaleb had arrived, and was quick to lean against Erik's side, drawing comfort from him.

"Don't tell me the flame idiot was feeling sorry for himself?" Another voice, much rougher this time sounded, settling in next to Natsu, straddling the bench. The strong smell of iron announced Gajeels arrival, and another quick sniff told Natsu that Bixlow and Levy were there on the other side of Gajeel as well. The sight of Levy had Natsu stirring more, it meant the protections, runes and wards were almost done.

"No, not sorry, more like blaming himself for not being able to tell that his dragon was trying to keep him from creating an amazingly awkward situation with Lucy." Kaleb answered, reaching into a pocket to pull out a deck of cards.

"Seriously? Oi, idiot, not knowing what to do wasn't your fault. Now knock that shit off and deal the cards." Gajeel huffed, grabbing the cards and tossing them at the still sulking Natsu.

"What are you guys even doing?" Natsu asked, finally lifting his eyes to take in the five mages now surrounding him. It took another moment to pick up a new smell, and shifting his gaze once more, he found the smell mixing itself with the mint smell that was Cristoffs. Immediately he shoved to his feet, growling, before being yanked back down and a single magic canceling cuff being slapped on him.

"What the hell Erik?!" Natsu snarled, turning on the poison slayer. From that question alone, they could see how this day was already affecting him. He rarely called anyone by their given name, it was his way of showing how upset he was when he did use it.

He had seen two women, and a man crowding around Cristoff, and had immediately gotten pissed. He could see them touching Cristoff, even as he brushed them off, leaned away from them, crossing his arms, but still he had gotten pissed. They were touching what was his, his mate!

"Calm down idiot, you can't be near him right now, because if you are, a number of things will happen." Bix piped up, calling one of his babies to knock into the side of Natsu's head.

"Freed is finishing up at the house, so that you two don't demolish it, because any time one of you slayers mate, nothing is ever left standing. But if you were to go over there right now, try to lay your claim on him to get the citizens to back off, instincts would take over and you'd either get bent over that table, or taken back to his room, where Freed still is, possibly hurt him in your haste, AND demolish the house. And on top that off, if you rush the mating, you could end up hurting each other as well. Do you really want that to happen?" Kaleb explained calmly, folding his arms on top of the table, keeping his eyes on the fuming fire slayer.

"Of course I don't!" Natsu snapped, glaring.

"Then you need to trust that Cristoff will keep others at bay. This happens every full moon Natsu, it's something that you'll have to get used to because it's just the way his magic works. The full moon makes people, animals, lots of shit act off and Cristoff, being a Lunar Dragon slayer becomes sort of a focal point people get drawn to. They don't even know why half the time, they just seek him out. Used to be hella fun I admit. "Bix snickered then when Gajeel lifted a brow he smiled, cleared his throat and drew a slow breath.

"The difference being that he now has you, and once you two are mated, he won't be able to react to anyone else, ever." Levy stated with a reassuring smile. "I know it's not what you want to hear, but after tonight, I'm sure it'll be a lot easier to handle."

"And you know this, how?" Natsu grouched, slumping down into his seat, purposely turning so his back was to Cristoff and the people hanging off of him.

"Because it was the same way for each of us. Any time I saw someone hanging off of Gajeel and Bixlow, it upset me a lot." Levy admitted, leaning against the table with her own arms folded on top of it.

"The shrimps right. I was barely able to handle Jet and Droy being around her constantly, and that was only because I could smell that she had absolutely no interest in them. If anyone else ended up around her, I would go into a rage, and tear things apart. It was the same way for Bix. Couldn't stand seeing Cana hitting on him all the time, or him responding to her, and hated knowing that they had been together before, but I dealt with it, because I didn't know what was happening." Gajeel admitted begrudgingly.

"And for us it knocked us on our asses. Neither of us were expecting to find each other. In some ways, we got lucky because we knew the moment it happened, what it was. Kaleb could hear my dragon going nuts, but had to deal with my confusion because I had never had a dragon help teach me the things that go with being a dragon slayer. And having grown up with slayer siblings, he knew what had happened and was able to help me through a lot of it." Erik explained with a soft, half smile, glancing at his mate.

"Isn't it as bad for him then?" Natsu asked, thinking of the few times Mira had been by to deliver some food or drink, and had brushed her hand through his hair in a friendly manner. He had heard the growls echoing from across the room at the time, but didn't know what to make of it.

He also knew from Freed and Levy earlier that morning, that no one else had been informed of what had happened the night before, and they would wait to announce it.

"It is, but he's fighting tooth and nail to keep others who mean nothing, away from you. We're able to be here, because each of us are already mated, so we're not a threat." Gajeel stated, picking the deck of cards back up and beginning to shuffle them.

Letting out a frustrated groan, Natsu fell forward to bang his head on the table repeatedly.

"Don't worry, we're here to keep you busy today until it's time to go." Kaleb reassured him with a slightly wicked smile. He could hear some of the things going through his brothers head across the hall, and knew that Natsu would be lucky if he could walk at all the next day.

(Later that night)

The mated slayers had managed to distract him, keep his mind, mostly, off of the silver eyed slayer on the other side of the guild hall, though he was still hyper aware of the time, and knew that being ten at night, the moon was starting to reach its peak. There had been one moment when it had gotten very touchy though.

It had been when Mira was delivering dinner to the card playing slayers, drinks included, and when setting down the various things, a domino affect had occurred. Mira had leaned across Natsu, who had been looking away from her, unintentionally putting her cleavage on face level, and when Natsu shifted to lean away from the intrusion on his space, he had turned his head and found his face buried in the soft skin of breasts.

The only thing that had saved everything from being incinerated or getting severe burns was the magic canceling cuff he was wearing. He had frozen in shock at his position, and the sound of splintering wood from across the hall had him jerking back in reflex, trying to put as much distance between himself and Mira. This unfortunately caused him to knock her hand which had been holding a mug of ale, and the majority of its contents spilled down the front of him. Mira, of course, being the caring person she was, dropped the tray of the food she was carrying for their table onto the table itself and grabbed a bar towel to start trying to soak up the spilled ale on Natsu.

On Natsu who was bare chested because his vest was hanging open, the ale had spilled down his chest, and because of his specially designed pants, was pooling into the folds of fabric right over his crotch. And Mira, being the kind hearted, caring woman she was, didn't think about reaching that low to try and mop up the mess that had been made on Natsu.

Or the danger she was putting her own life in, by doing so. Her hand was just reaching that low as a low, dangerous, and fear inducing growl echoed through the hall, causing many members to freeze, not knowing what the hell had just happened, when Kaleb quickly caught her attention with a slightly panicky smile.

"Mira! Can I get another salad for Erik? Dragon slayer appetite you know?" He asked desperately, the roar in his head from his brother making his ears ring something fierce. He quickly reached for the other plates on the tray, damn near throwing the food at who it belonged to so Mira could leave faster.

"Oh! Of course Kaleb, let me just finish cleaning up this mess." Mira stated with a smile, somehow still oblivious to what was going on. Again her hand lowered closer to Natsu's pants. She blinked in confusion when the towel was yanked out of her hand, now held in a tan one, as Natsu gave her one of his infectious grins, his other hand lifting to rub the back of his neck.

"No worries Mira! I've got this, it was my fault I bumped into ya, so I'll clean it up!" Natsu offered frantically, all too aware of the possessive silver eyes staring holes into his back.

"Oh, ok, thanks Natsu! I'll be right back with that salad Kaleb, and I'll grab the towel then ok?" Mira stated sweetly before turning to walk away, the empty tray now tucked under her arm. Once she was gone, each person at the table slumped forward in relief, Natsu letting his head hit the table again with a light thud.

"That was way too close...do I even want to know what his table looks like?" Natsu asked, his voice muffled by the table, but his meaning clear. Picking up on it, Kaleb looked past Natsus's shoulder to his brother who was still watching them like a hawk, teeth clenched, eyes very obviously a molten silver, and hands...still gripping the edge of a table piece that had snapped off under the sudden pressure of his hands.

Wincing, he looked back at the head of pink hair, suddenly appreciating how long it had taken for Erik to claim him. There was no mistaking that look of hunger, bordering on full possession. Not to mention that he could hear everything Cristoff was thinking, with the pink haired slayer starring prominently in each fantasy flashing through his brothers head.

Natsu wasn't going to be able to walk for days...

"Uh...no, I don't think you do...you should eat up though, you're _really_ going to need it."

Kaleb suggested, shoving the plate piled high with food in front of him. It wasn't too much later, Natsu had just finished the last bit of his meal and sat back with a satisfied sigh when he noticed the others around him, who had kept him company all day, stiffen at something, no, someone behind him. A familiar hand slid over his shoulder and up into his hair, lightly tugging on it, drawing his gaze to the swirling silver eyes glowing above him. He hadn't realized when he had claimed this table he had sat in the direct line of a window that had sunlight, then moon light pouring in over him.

Now, looking up over his shoulder, he could see that Cristoff was positively pulsing with magic power. Meeting that glowing silver gaze with his own that flashed red, the moon slayer growled possessively, and they were gone.

"Do you think he's going to be able to walk tomorrow?" Levy asked, teeth digging into her lower lip to fight the smile trying to spread across her face.

"Were you able to?" Gajeel smirked at her and she blushed looking down.

"No chance in hell. I'm glad we took that job a few weeks ago, that room is going to need all new furnishings." Bix claimed with a resigned sigh.

Kaleb smiled. "Cristoffs been s-class a good while Bix, he can pay for everything they break."

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They had just appeared on the balcony outside of the second floor room that Cristoff was using while staying with Bix, and Natsu didn't have a chance to get a good breath when his back was slammed against the outside wall. Pain arched deliciously through his body, mixing headily with the arousal roaring through him.

He could smell his mates arousal, and barely managed to get a lungful of it when his breath was stolen once more by the savage mouth that was demanding entrance to his own. Moaning heatedly, Natsu could only lift his hands to thread his fingers through the dark locks, soaking in the desperate kisses before yanking him back, both of them snarling and gasping for breath.

"B-be-bedroom, we-we've gotta get insid-" Natsu broke off with a groan when Cristoff growled, yanking his hands from his hair, to pin them on either side of his head, dipping his head down to drag razor sharp teeth against tan skin that glowed under the moon. Catching a mouthful of skin on his shoulder and sucking hard, immediately leaving a dark bruise behind, Cristoff took a step back and keeping a firm grip on Natsu's wrist yanked him into the room through the already open glass doors, tearing off the magic canceling cuff Natsu was wearing at the same time.

Shoving the fire slayer towards the bed, Cristoff could feel his torso heaving with the desperate breaths he was taking to try and counter his thread bare control. He was quick to slam the doors to the balcony closed behind him, and as soon as the lock clicked into place, the runes activated with a flash of purple, and he let the thin control he had slip just a little more.

There, standing by the foot of the bed, his own shoulders rolling as he shrugged his open vest off, red scales beginning to appear across his arms and chest, up his neck and easing onto his face, gleaming in the low light from the many candles and fire in the fireplace, Natsu looked...delicious.

Cristoffs own element was pouring in through the glass doors at his back, and the large bay window by the bed, spilling moonlight over the covers. Cristoff had already entered his own dragon force out on the balcony, midnight blue, and shimmering silver scales appearing his cheeks and into his hair line, coating his forearms. Two slayers of different lights, clashing and swirling together in an erotic dance. And they hadn't even moved a step since entering the room. Low growls could be heard as narrowed crimson and silver eyes stared at each other, gauging, calculating, watching.

It wasn't clear who moved first, but in the next moment they were pressed together, Natsu finding himself spun around to face the foot board of the bed with his hands lifted and pinned to grip the posts of the bed.

Cristoff pressed tightly against him from behind, his hard chest a cool smooth pressure against his heated skin. Snarling, Natsu bucked against him, hard, trying to get the upper hand. He shifted every which way, trying to get free so he could in turn pin the lunar dragon slayer, but every move he made, Cristoff countered with a growl, the shifting of bodies against each other driving them further into their lust driven instincts.

It was pure instinct, driving them to try and dominate the other. It didn't matter that Natsu was inches shorter, much lighter, and preferred letting someone else be in control. Right now they were two mating slayers, looking to determine who the dominant one would be. Every time Cristoff ducked his head down to try and lock his mouth over the back of Natsu's neck in an attempt to get him to submit, Natsu would twist or jerk in such a way that would not allow Cristoffs teeth to press against him.

Hissing out an aggravated breath, Cristoff shoved his knee between the pink hairs slayers knees, forcing them apart, and pressed against him harder, leaning forward to strain on his shoulders, drawing a whimper between growls of frustration.

Pressing his mouth tight against Natsu's ear, he snarled. "Submit Natsu!"

"Make me!" Natsu bit back, still trying to buck Cristoff off of him. He froze at the sound of a dark chuckle against his ear, a shiver racing down his spine. He could feel the smirk against his ear, and couldn't stop the tremble that had him vibrating in place.

"So be it." Cristoff stated huskily. That was Natsu's only warning, and even as he started struggling harder against the hard body behind him, in a flash, with pain singing from where his hair was suddenly being gripped tightly in a large fist, he found himself face down on the bed itself. He could feel that his pants had been torn away, and he didn't know when, but he could feel that there was no longer any form of clothing between them. A strangled moan escaped him at the feeling of cool, silky skin pressed against him. The hand left his hair, and he felt his grappling hands get pinned in one of the larger mages hands.

By now his torso was heaving with deep breaths, unknowingly ramping his own desire up further with each breath he took, filled with the arousal permeating the air around him. Firm knees slid between his own legs that were fighting to gain purchase, being spread until it was almost uncomfortable, and unable to press into the mattress hard enough to try and flip himself.

He could feel his flames flaring up around them unbidden, becoming a volatile fire storm in the middle of the room, fighting to take back the alpha position. But even through the ever increasing heat of his fire, he could feel the cooling touch of slim fingers skimming down his spine, sending goosebumps exploding across his skin. It was a sensation that had him crying out in pleasure. The heat of his skin tightened ever so enticingly with the feel of the goosebumps, following the fingers down his spin until a hand gripped an ass cheek hard, before lifting and coming back down in a firm slap.

Crying out, his back arched hard into that hand. Dear sweet Mavis it had felt so good! It happened again and had Natsu gritting his teeth, his neck straining as his head was flung back. Feeling Cristoff shift behind him until he was once more pressed tightly against him, the one hand still gripping his ass cheek tightly had Natsu damn near mewling.

"This ass...is mine..."Cristoff purred against the lobe of Natsu's ear. "This back..." that same hand trailed up his back, digging his nails into him every so slightly. "Is mine..." Cristoff moaned, the smell of Natsu's arousal spiking in the already heady room. By now, Natsu was grinding his erection into the blankets under him, desperate for some form of relief.

"You...are...MINE..." Cristoff ended on a snarl, gripping Natsu's head by the hair and pulling his head back firmly, his own dick pulsing with his heartbeat, the pleasured look on Natsu's face snapping his control. Dipping down, Cristoff kissed him harshly, all nipping teeth, and stealing breathes before shifting back to his knees, carefully bringing the hands he had pinned to the dip of Natsu's lower back, using his other hand to pull him roughly to his knees, Natsu's face pressing tightly into the bedding under him, his face off to the side, twisted in a snarl of desire.

Gulping hard against the growls that were nearly constantly escaping him now, Cristoff made quick work of preparing Natsu, his fingers and magic soothing any pain before it could happen as he stretched him to ready him. It was a few tense moments, the body under him quivering with tension, muffled growls escaping.

Gritting his teeth, Cristoff took a deep breath in through his teeth and started to slowly ease himself into Natsu, the tightness robbing him of his senses, and his breath, causing him to pause as his head rolled back on his shoulders. Another moment passed before he continued, and finally, after what felt like an eternity of pleasure inducing tightness, Cristoff was pressing tightly against Natsu, and the whimpers escaping the fire slayer had his cock twitching hard within him.

"N-Natsu..." Cristoff huffed, releasing the mans hands to grip his hips fully, tightly, bruises already forming around his fingers. A whimpered grunt was his only answer. "Th-this is-isn't going to be easy..."

"Ju-just fuck me Cristoff...please!" Natus finally begged, his muscles instinctively releasing and tightening around the thick shaft deep inside of him that was pressing against every spot inside of him that had pleasure rolling through him at a constant now.

"I need to see you...Natsu..." Cristoff growled, still gripping his hips. Before Natsu could think of what he had just said, and tapping into his magic to ease the discomfort, he was quick to flip Natsu onto his back, gritting his teeth against the pulsing muscles that were threatening to tear him over the edge before he was ready. Once on his back, gasping, Cristoff dropped down over him, catching his weight on his hands, and with no warning, started rolling his hips, drawing his erection out part of the way, before driving back in deeper, his thrusts hard and thorough.

At the feeling of Natsu's legs wrapping around him in a vice grip to urge him faster, Cristoff's back arched, driving him in harder as his head fell back, and a small roar escaped him. Panting, snarling, his head dropped back down, drinking in the sight of Natsu squirming under him. Each thrust, each drive into the heat of the fire slayer had him closer to the edge.

But it wasn't enough. Sliding his hands under Natsu's body, he was quick to yank him up onto his lap as he sat back on his knees. One arm wrapped around him mid back, and the other reached up to grip a shoulder, and as he thrust up into the pleasurable heat, his grip pulled Natsu down onto him harder. The heat coming off of their bodies, and the soothing mist that was Cristoffs magic acted as a natural lubricant, and they slid against each other quickly, harder, pinning Natsu's own erection tightly between their bodies. The friction created from their bodies so close together had Natsu whimpering as he let his head fall against Cristoffs shoulder and for several strokes left everything to his larger mate, just lost in sensation, intimacy, the nearness of having him.

He was fire, lived, breathed ate and existed in fire, but he had loved the moon since he was a child, some of his fondest memories with Igneel, many of his fondest memories ever, were spent laying back in grass cooled and dampened by the night looking up at the beauty of the moon and stars.

His dreams had been so confusing to him for a while now, always the night, always the night sky, and a shadowed lover he could never fully see. He'd thought it had to be Lucy, because she was so close to him and she was all about the stars but he'd been confused because his lover in his dreams always was dark haired, and always was bigger than him and Lucy was neither of those things so he'd just sat back, tried to make sense of it.

But as the other slayers started pairing up, Gajeel taking not one but two mates, Cobra taking Kaleb, he'd felt the yearning in him reach almost painful heights, to find his mate, to claim them, be with them, to finally hold the evening lover in his arms, kiss the cool lips and drink in that evening breeze of minted dew he now knew belonged only to Cristoff.

Now he was here, and he was wrapped tightly around his mate, feeling him pumping into his body, driving their bond, deepening it, silken misty skin sliding against his, so cool against his heat, so calm against his chaos.

His mate would be his anchor, his rock, powerful unwavering center he could lean hard on, crash his chaos against and know that not only could Cristoff take it, but he welcomed it, Natsu could burn high and hot and out of control and Cristoff would be there, calm and soothing, cool and strong.

They could feel the pressure building, quickly, both pleasure and magic twisting together in a cool inferno, some of Natsu's flames taking on edges of white as it grew hotter. Lifting his hands from where he had been gripping and trailing his own hands over the endless muscles of his mate, Natsu gripped the shoulders he was leaning on to brace himself as he started to press down harder into the thrusts coming from below.

So enticed, so focused were they, that they didn't hear the crack, then snapping of a frame breaking, or feel the bed collapse under them, hitting the floor with loud crash, and driving them harder against each other. The sound of the foot board collapsing and hitting the glass doors and bracing against them went unnoticed, and they long forgot about the torn apart bedding.

It was there, just past their reach...

"You are mine Natsu! Say it! I am yours and you are mine!" Cristoff snarled, pleading, feeling the pressure building as it edged on painful.

"Gods yes Cristoff you're mine and I'm yours, always! I love you already dammit!" Natsu gasped, feeling a spot inside get battered repeatedly, shooting tingles of pleasure through him, and sending stars across his vision. He was never one to do anything in a small way, he trusted his instincts, trusted where they led him unquestioningly, and it all led to Cristoff, how could he not love his mate? No, all of him was committed, utterly devoted, heart and soul, body and mind he gave it over freely and without reservation to the misty soothing soul of the Lunar slayer driving into his body.

"Fuck yes! I love you too Natsu! Cum for me my little fire slayer! Cum for me!" Cristoff panted, yanking him down hard to grind into him, pressing them tighter together. That was the last straw for him, and he exploded within Natsu, his cool heat flooding him, pulling them both over the edge.

Something inside of him snapped and Natsu let out his own roar of completion as he came, feeling Cristoffs teeth sink into him, and the cool burn of lunar magic being shoved into him, Natsu was quick to strike, his teeth sinking into the curve of Cristoffs neck and shoulder, shoving his own burning magic into the other slayer.

They stayed locked together for what felt like an eternity, their bodies twitching and humming together as Natsu's body milked Cristoff dry, and Natsu's completion mixed with the sweat of their bodies. The smell of sex was strong in the room, pungent, and they didn't care. Collapsing to their sides, Cristoff carefully pulled free of Natsu. They languidly licked the bites clean, watching in satisfaction as the marks filled in, exchanging giddy grins, and lacing their fingers together, nuzzling and drifting off into a much needed nap.

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When Natsu woke it was to the steady pull of his own body, pleasure coursing through him, zinging across his skin and through his nerves and as consciousness came more to him he could pinpoint it, could feel cool hands gripping his thighs and spreading them, from those hands the shimmering tingling sensations were bringing his nerves alive, but it was his cock that was the pleasure center.

Enveloped in wet cool tingling pressure his eyes flew open and when he looked down they met deep blue ones, saw Cristoff between his legs, drawing his mouth up and down Natsus cock and smirking at him, lifting a lip the Lunar slayer drug a white fang over the head and Natsu cried out gripping the torn and singed bedding beneath him, the sensation so intense it set his teeth on edge.

"Cr-Cris!" He gasped. His mate growled, the action sending a vibration through him that had his hips lifting from the mattress, his breath leaving him in a rush.

It was something Natsu had experienced a total of once, a young woman after the Grand Magic games, a seriously obsessed fan of his it seemed, had given him a blowjob in a dark hallway. He'd been inexperienced, shocked, amazed, a whole host of things by the experience, and while he'd had a few encounters sexually since then, nobody had gone down on him.

One thing he knew for certain, that groupie didn't hold a fucking weak ass candle to what his mate could do. Cool fingers worked him, leaving his decidedly sore opening and instead hitting places along his thighs, his ass, his lower abdomen,his balls, Gods save him every place skillfully sought out, prodded for reaction then worked to explore how much each point yielded.

Cristoff was learning how to thoroughly please him, how to work his body into a frenzy and he was helpless, when he would try to shift, try to reach Cristoff would shift his grip and pin him with a growl that just intensified the sensations coursing through every single inch of his body.

He knew there was magic involved, could feel it, like he could feel his mates immense magic containers, reserves that utterly dwarfed his own. He could feel Cristoff dipping lightly into it, spreading some sort of tingling, intensifying magic through him that made him feel everything more, gave more depth, more pleasure to everything.

Then Cristoffs finger went to his opening, prodded him and at first he flinched, Cristoff was not a small man, their coupling to mate had done damage, but then the cool soothing magic just swept that aside and he was groaning, unable to speak, managing only to writhe in intense pleasure. Cristoffs tongue worked up and down with his lips and he could take all of Natsu in, lips pressing to the base and leaving the fire slayer taut and unable to breathe at the delicious overwhelming sensation of that tongue rasping his length, a satisfied rumble coming from his mate at his response and Natsu lost control, after only a few minutes of the divine torture coming into his mates mouth, groaning as he felt him swallow.

He lay panting, nerves alive and over stimulated as Cristoff climbed up alongside him and drew him in against his larger body. "Lazy whelp." He chided with a smile dragging kisses along Natsus neck and licking over the mating mark. Natsu gasped, body jerking as new intensity flowed through him, his blood igniting in his veins.

Cristoff chuckled. "If I touch my mark on you it pleasures you, if you touch it…it pleasures me and your mark in me serves the same way…" He said softly.

Natsus eyes flew wide and he lunged in, pushing Cristoffs thick hair out of his way greedily seeking the mark he'd made. Cristoff turned his head, letting Natsu get to it, unable to resist his mates enthusiasm to try and see what happened.

Natsus searing hot lips closed over the mark and his tongue ran hot over the marked flesh activating the magic it would always contain.

Cristoff stiffened, feeling pleasure course through him and Natsu pressing him onto his back.

He growled in warning, felt Natsu duck his head and saw the dark eyes avert but he remained hovering over Cristoff who, eyes narrowed, laid back slowly, making it clear the leash was short here. Cristoff was patient, tolerant, but the clear alpha between them.

Natsu eagerly accepted it, he didn't enjoy control, he was a bold fighter, always leading the charge aggressively into battle, when it came to intimacy though, he preferred to be controlled, to have that ferocity torn from him, he seriously enjoyed being dominated, and couldn't really be much happier about how his mating had worked out.

Cristoff, so calm and steady, made sense as the alpha, and Natsu had always needed someone strong to lean on, he'd just not had that since Igneel had gone and while Cristoff, as his mate, wasn't a father figure, he was now the center of Natsus concept of "home" like Lucy had been until now.

Not that Cristoff was replacing Lucy, that was impossible, she was his best friend, just, when he needed comfort, security, he'd no longer be climbing through the blondes window and curling up in her bed. It had never worked anyway, the frustration of leaning on Lucy, who struggled herself with so many emotional issues around weakness (she wasn't weak but try telling her that and she wouldn't ever believe you). It had never worked, and he'd instead become the one Lucy leaned on a lot and the two of them, both needed that strong pillar to turn to, had kept each other off balance and a little shaky for years.

He could feel now though, through the ever-strengthening connection to Cristoff, just how strong his mate was, and knew, with no doubt, he'd be able to lean on him, however hard he needed to.

That idea gave him a sense of peace he'd never had, not since Igneel had gone, his entire life since Igneel had left had felt off balance, uncentered, but now it was sharpening, coming into focus because it had a center in the Lunar Dragon Slayer, and he wanted to please his mate, wanted so much to explore him like he had just explored Natsus body.

Sensing that eagerness, the Lunar Slayer laid back and let Natsu run his hands over him, let him suck at the mating mark until he was drawing ragged breaths and growling, the flash of silver eyes and fang sent Natsu down his body, leaving the mark he'd been working.

He chastised himself a little, the mark was too easy, he wanted to get Cristoffs body writhing through touches like Cristoff had used and set into the task eagerly, Cristoff smiling at him, pulling another pillow behind himself to prop him up a little so he could better watch his mate.

Natsus touches were eager but awkward, and he watched for reactions and was frustrated easily when he got nothing, Cristoff chuckled when the third pout appeared and reached down, guiding Natsus hands to places on his body that gave him pleasure, showed him how to touch him so he could draw that pleasure out, how much to work a spot and when to leave it so it didn't get dulled.

He had to admit, Natsu got determined, and focused, and his enthusiasm was far from lacking. His pink haired mate was also soft hearted, eager to please, quick to smile and his smile made Cristoffs heart clench in his chest. He'd have to watch that, his little mate was going to wrap him around his finger if he wasn't careful.

After a good hour of this Cristoffs own patience was being strained by the serious need to have his mate again and his growls changed from soft guidance, to clear warnings that made Natsus heart speed up, his body heat, flames licking over his skin in places almost begging Cristoff to lick them away.

A few more minutes was all Natsu got then before he was thrown to his knees gripping the mattress as Cristoff entered him and took up a brutal pace with him that had him shrieking in pleasure.

As promised, he screamed his mates name over and over until his throat was raw before finally the pair collapsed again in a panting snarling heap of sweaty limbs.

Cristoff looked around the room…the bed was in shambles now, stuffing from the mattress Natsu had just ripped open trying to get a purchase on something for leverage against Cristoffs admittedly zealous onslaught was now mingling with shredded and singed bedding.

He smirked, he'd already ordered a replacement bed, he'd damn well known what he was going to probably end up doing to the one Bickslow had in this room. He wasn't sure how the nightstand had been shattered, possibly during their rather heated second round after their nap.

The armchair…well, really he should have removed that, in his defense though he was distracted. The table he did remember breaking during he and Natsus initial dominance struggle, Natsu had kicked it trying to get a foot onto it to buck against Cristoffs hold on him and had sent it into the wall where it shattered against the protection runes.

The desk…well…the desk was still in tact and unscathed. His lips curled, his mate would look very good bent over that and the supports looked pretty sturdy too. He was already redoing this room of Bickslows house, what was one more piece of furniture….


	17. Chapter 16

Cristoff wasn't often an early riser. As a Lunar Dragon Slayer his element was all about the night and while full moons energized him to the point of drunkenness, he rarely slept much for three nights every 30-50 days depending on the cycles of Earthlands moon.

He was fairly impressed, he usually took anywhere from 3-6 lovers if he wasn't out on a job where he could push his overflow into destroying things. This time, he was nicely tired, muscles filled with a delicious ache from exertion, and his only partner had been the Fire slayer who still slept curled and laying partly on top of him.

He knew he was facing a lifetime of juggling his mates excessive energy, riotous will full nature and recklessness but, while normally people like Natsu would have been amusing and he'd keep his distance, he was savoring the challenges his mate presented him with.

He smiled slightly, Natsus hand was curled in his hair the other pressed underneath him cupping his ass, not a bad way to wake up.

He had an arm over his mate, the other thrown up over his head and he brought it down, trailing his fingers over Natsus cheek noting the fine angles of his mates face, the faint scars, he really was a handsome thing.

"Wake up raic, we need to get to the guild, check in with the world…" He smiled more as his mate stirred looking around the destroyed room….oh Bickslow and his mates were either going to see this as a fine opportunity to do some renovations and furniture shopping or they were going to flip. With Bickslow, it could go either way. Cristoff drew a breath, he was going to have to get used to this sort of thing, his mate was a walking firestorm.

"What's that you called me?" Natsu mumbled, not opening his eyes though the hand on Cristoffs ass tightened its grip enough that he narrowed his eyes no longer believing his mate was much asleep anymore.

"Raic…Boscan for fire…"Cristoff pulled in a deeper breath, feeling Natsus body heating on his, the faint wicked smirk curling the smaller slayers lips.

"I like that…I like this too…"Natsu slid better on top of Cristoff and suddenly was lunging in, teeth closing on the mark on Cristoffs neck and the Lunar slayer snarled as pleasure surged through him, fiery lust ignited as Natsu scraped his fangs over the mark.

He tried to catch Cristoffs wrists but instead found himself suddenly face-down, his mate vanishing from beneath him and re-appearing on top of him ripping his arms out from under him and holding them to the side while warm lips pressed near the mark on his neck and he growled defiantly.

"Such a nice try…and now…you've got me all riled up, just what did you have planned I wonder?" Cristoff teased and Natsu writhed, his own idea had been simple, get Cristoff so worked up he'd let Natsu have his way and ride him, he'd had the whole thing all worked out in his head but Cristoff was too damn fast and fuck he hated that teleport.

He'd woken up a while ago, found himself laying half on top of his mates cool comfortable body and started thinking about all the things they had done through the long night and into the early hours of the morning.

He'd gotten his hand on Cristoffs ass without waking him, or he'd thought he had, but soon after Cristoffs other arm came down and he was caged.

Now he was on his belly, Cristoffs large frame pressing him down into the mattress of the ruined bed they had slept on. Cristoff placing kisses around the edges of the mating mark on his neck teasing him with what he was almost doing.

"I…wanted…damn it.." He couldn't think with Cristoff pressing him down into the mattress, pinning him like he was, he could feel his mate wasn't just playing, the hardened length he was so wanting was firm and getting harder right between the globes of his ass, Cristoffs hips pressing down and dragging it languidly against Natsus heated flesh.

Cristoff stilled, smiling against him. "Tell me what you want my mate." He breathed and Natsu shuddered.

"Was going to…ride...you…" He admitted, seeing no reason to hide his intentions. So far Cristoff had dominated everything, but he'd indulged Natsu wanting to learn his way around him, learn where and how he could touch him to excite him.

Cristoff sealed his lips over the mating mark and steadily sucked at his mates heated skin until the smaller slayer was almost thrashing beneath him then he moved off of him and laid back as Natsu bolted up panting.

He met his mates heated silvery blue eyes, chest heaving, body ablaze to the point red scales dotted his arms. Uncertain what Cristoffs sudden release of him meant.

"Ride me Natsu." He growled and Natsu couldn't scramble over his mate fast enough.

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"So…all the furniture…even the desk? Shit Cris….Freed bought that Desk, damn it…I knew I should have taken the furniture out." Bickslow sighed.

Cristoff and Natsu had just arrived at the guild a short time ago, Natsu already in a fight with Gray rolling around on the floor with the Ice Make mage while Cristoff discussed what all would need to be replaced.

"It took me a bit to figure out how to contain his fire magic, it's not the same as Emis, I prevented much fire damage but not all of it and..well..you know him already Bix, he'll get better, I have plans…there's just a lot of power there, magic that's…different than pure slayer magic, I don't know how to describe it, It's almost demonic but I know that's not right…he's dragon raised." He shook his head, glancing to where Gray had his mate temporarily pinned against a support post.

He knew Natsu was perfectly content right then, enjoying himself or he would have stepped in.

"Buy me a drink…I need one." Bix said and Cristoff smiled, shoving his older brother toward the bar and following him. They both leaned on the bar side by side, Bickslow turning his head and reaching over to push Cristoffs hair back so he could see the mark there.

He loved the one he bore, but he'd admit Natsus name in draconic and the symbols for his fire magic were beautiful. He'd seen Cristoffs mark on Natsu…the moon and stars of the night sky behind his name in draconic stood out well on Natsus tan skin and the Fire Slayer was proud of it too. His insistence that Gray look at the mark he'd put on Cristoff had triggered the current fight between the two.

"So I'm thinking of hiring the contractor Laxus recommended, if you want to redo the room and bathroom I'm fine with that, I'll pay for it and all the furniture like we discussed." Cristoff was saying. Bickslow frowned.

"Wait…did you damage the bathroom?"

"Melted some of the tile, not too bad but it needs to be redone…" Cristoff didn't look at him, letting Mira place the stein of beer in front of Bix before risking a glance at his older brother.

Bickslow was just shaking his head.

"I already sent the contractor to tear down that beat to death thing Natsu calls a house, I checked with the city, he actually owns a nice chunk of land there so we can build something pretty nice." Cristoff sighed.

"You tell Natsu?" Bickslow asked.

"Yes, already covered it. He doesn't like it at all, built it himself, but…well…you were with me when I looked it over…" He sighed.

There was no hope for Natsus little one bedroom house. He may have put work into it but he hadn't maintained it at all and the floors, walls, everything had smoke and fire damage because he'd never bothered to have it properly warded and sealed.

Cristoff had been willing to give it a chance, but once he'd gone there with Bickslow and Freed to see about setting it up so they could mate there it had been obvious the place was a total loss. Melted glass in the windows, everything in it burned, charred or damaged by heat and smoke.

Lucy had cleaned it several times, tried to salvage it and get it livable but there was no hope for it. So, Cristoff had resolved to have a new house built there, and had already gotten things moving to get it done. He'd even taken Happy into consideration, though he hadn't met the exceed yet because he was apparently off visiting his parents. There would be a large attic room with it's own balcony access for the exceed to have his own room.

Pantherlily had agreed to help the contractor with the design, getting into it so much he'd already approached Gajeel about adding something similar onto the house they lived in.

His goal was to get Natsu out of town for a few weeks. The longer the better. Let the contractor get going on the project and bring him back to Magnolia once the framework and everything was in place at least.

So the day he'd had to keep himself distracted to avoid killing anyone or bending his little mate over something and just taking him in the guild hall, he'd planned everything out, used his less than stellar patience that day to negotiate with the contractor, get the designer on board with his plans and get everything started. By now…Natsus house was gone already. Pantherlily and Carla had gone to the Exceed village to catch Happy before he returned to find it gone and explain what was happening so the little exceed wasn't shocked and horrified.

He imagined Happy was going to be shocked enough that while he was gone his best friend had found his mate. The house being torn down and a new under construction didn't need to add to it if Cristoff could prevent it from being a shock.

Natsus things had been packed up and brought to Bickslows for now, where the contractors other team was already working to remove the damaged furniture. He had a mission selected all the way up in Rose Garden, investigating and removing whatever was bothering the massive bathhouses up there. He'd even talked to Erza who was supposed to have talked to Lucy and Gray about them going on the mission.

Erza had been thrilled with the idea, she adored bath houses, and was horrified the famous ones in Rose Garden were being plagued by somebody who was dropping venomous snakes into the waters and trying to scare the patrons away.

He was comfortably chatting with his brother about the fact Levy and Lucy had already gone to the furniture store and he needed to be ready for the bills when a few things happened in rapid succession.

Cana entered the guild hall, ready to begin her day of drinking since it was after noon and her hang over from the day before getting drunk in Clover Town with Hibiki was pretty much gone. She spotted Cristoff, a tall good looking man she hadn't seen before, leaning on the bar in well fitted jeans, trainers and a black t-shirt that strained over his arms and shoulders, which were thickly muscled and just mouthwatering.

She smirked and started right for him too. She'd not been doing well landing men lately, a glance around saw the tall blonde she STILL was determined to get her hands on, she was going to get her fingers curled around that nice ass and find out if the platinum hair was as soft as it looked, one day Cobra was going to drop his guard…she was determined.

Cobra, who was in the spot that was now normal for him leaning into his mates chest while Kaleb either worked, chatted with guildmates or played chess with Levy or Freed. His eye had been closed but it locked with Canas and narrowed at her wicked thoughts about his mate and she narrowed hers right back.

 _I'm gonna cop a feel on that sexy man of yours, I've had my hands on your ass, I get em on every sexy mans ass in this guild Snake boy, and I fucking KNOW you can hear me_. She thought and saw Kalebs shoulders shake as the blonde chuckled and rubbed a hand over Cobras thigh to keep him from getting up and going after the Card Mage.

His growl had Cristoffs head turning away from Cana and she moved right in.

As he watched the Card mage reaching out to get her hands on Cristoff Cobra looked over at Natsu, who was currently rapping Grays head on the floor while the Ice Mage bit his leg.

"Hey flamebrain, the Drunks gonna cop a feel on your mate while you're playing around with the Ice Princess." Cobra growled. He wouldn't stop Cana himself, not his place to, he had his hands full keeping that woman away from Kaleb, as determined as she was to get her grabs in, he was equally determined to prevent them. Nobody, nobody touched Kaleb, especially not his hair, but the Poison Slayer. His mate, his rules.

Kaleb found it all pretty amusing, and while he did make an effort to keep Cana at bay, the woman was devious and he himself…really didn't care. She could grab his ass, feel his hair, she wasn't Erik so it wasn't like she'd get a damn thing out of him.

Natsu jerked his head around and saw what was happening. Cristoff was looking toward Cobra curiously half listening to Bickslow and didn't see Cana was stepping up to him, hand reaching out, smirk on her face.

In a moment she had her fingers closing on Cristoffs denim clad rear, her other hand already in his thick black hair because damn it she wasn't wasting time with this crap, these eastern men with their long hair and tan skin were just too tempting, too and she meant to lure at least one of them into a nice tumble at some point damn it.

She was just pressing in against a tall, muscular oh my Gods and Mavis she could get an Orgasm just feeling all this delectable muscle that smelled like mint and dew drenched grass at midnight and his hair was like thick silk in her hand too.

She was just smiling, wriggling her body to more firmly fit herself in against Cristoffs back when Natsu roared over. "Not with my mate Cana!" He snarled, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her away from Cristoff so hard she staggered into a barstool and had to grip the bar to keep from going down.

"The fuck?! Natsu?!" She glared at him, then she saw the mating mark on Natsus neck and her eyes narrowed as the tall black haired man she'd already been working on getting a good mental image of naked in her bed turned to face her. Bickslow smirked over his brothers shoulder and pulled that curtain of black hair back while pushing Cristoffs head to the side.

"Yeah Cana…totally mated to Natsu last night…you're late to the party…" Bickslow snickered.

Canas mouth fell open. "Nat….Natsu Dragneel is YOUR mate?!" She asked the blue eyed now smiling man.

Natsu glared at her, how the hell was it so surprising?! Damn it, he was a strong powerful mage in his own right, why would it surprise anyone he had a big strong mate? He had himself neatly between Cana and Cristoff and ignoring his mates warning look he grabbed a fistful of thick black hair and pulled his mouth down to his for a possessive kiss.

Cristoff didn't care for being forced to do much of anything, but he would let this slide, his dragon was pleased his mate was possessive, he should be, Cristoff sure was, if this Cana woman had been trying to touch Natsu like she'd just grabbed him she might not have survived her efforts. So he kissed Natsu back, let him manhandle him, grabbed the Fire Slayer by the hips and pulled him firmly against him with a snarl though, to still his wandering hands before things got too heated and he was getting more practice containing his mates wayward flames.

"So…very…MINE." Cristoff purred and Natsu grinned, giving Cana a smug look. Strong hands gripped her and helped her get back fully to her feet and she turned, finding a tall man, every bit as large as the one she'd just victoriously gotten her hands on at least.

She smiled up into exotic bi-colored eyes, one gold, one blue, he wasn't as striking as Natsus new mate, or almost beautiful like Kaleb, but he had a rugged good look to him, wore only snug black jeans and an open black leather vest, several strands of beads around his neck hanging over a bare sun bronzed chest. Dark green hair that looked to be as long or longer than Natsus mate had his was pulled back held high in a leather tie.

"Beck, good to see you man." Natsus mate said suddenly, reaching a hand past the Fire slayer to grip the free hand of the man holding her.

"Cristoff, Gaza said she'd seen you. Congratulations, looks like Fiore is claiming a bigger piece of White Sea and the Archipelago." Beck said.

Cristoff shrugged, smiling faintly when Natsu leaned back into him to eye Beck suspiciously, he'd seen Beck kiss Kaleb a while back and wanted the big Beast Master to keep his distance.

"Don't worry Dragon Slayer, Cristoff and I have only ever been friends, and I've learned my lesson about wanting a Pradesh for myself." The big man said and set Cana fully on her feet before moving past Cristoff to go join the other White Sea mages sitting at the table past the end of the bar.

Cana watched him curiously, he'd been around the guild, she'd seen the whole thing go down with that kiss, she had nothing but admiration for walking up and going for what you wanted, even though lately it hadn't been working out for her because the damn Dragon Slayers seemed to snatch up the ones she wanted.

However…Beck was Boscan, and maybe he was like most of them seemed to be, carried no preference male or female, just sought pleasure from the best source they could find.

"Sorry about the misunderstanding Natsu…you scored and we should SO party!" She howled and Mira came out from the kitchen tilting her head curiously at Cana, saw Natsu in Cristoffs arms leaning against him and squealed.

"Don't Mira! We can't…." Natsu started but Mira hugged herself.

"Pink haired blue eyed dragon babies!" and down she went.

"….Make babies…shit…you know, she's smart I know she is…she did this to Cobra and Kaleb too, like they could make babies…" He sighed.

"Mira has baby brain, it's a clinical disorder, ask Porlyusica, she declared her like 5 years ago or something." Cana said waving her hand and giving Kinana a pointed look.

"I'll tray up shots Cana, what do you have in mind?" The purple haired barmaid asked.

"I have never! And MUSIC!"

The groans and whimpers that echoed throughout the hall were purposely ignored, even as Kaleb busted up laughing at the flood of memories he was treated to, and the other White Sea mages blinked curiously.

Shortly there after a large group of mages gathered around the large conference style table that took up part of the upstairs lounge area, Cristoff and Natsu taking place at the head of it since they were the most recent mated couple. Cana was quick to sit at the other end, waiting as the other mages claimed chairs around the table.

"OK, so, rules are simple. Who evers' turn it is will say something they have never done. If you've done it, you drink a shot, if you haven't, you don't drink and you have to either answer a question truthfully or complete a dare. Game ends when we're either too drunk, or too tired to continue." Cana explained.

Kinana brought two trays of shots to the table and Cana looked around eagerly at those who had agreed to participate. She'd roped all of the Raijinshuu, which she was delighted to note included Cobra AND his yummy mate, Bickslow and both of his. Natsu and his black haired Adonis, Lucy, Beck and Gaza.

"Dares can be anything that will not severely injure or kill you doing them. You can opt out of a dare by drinking 10 shots but nobody has ever pussied out on a dare in Fairy Tail." She said that with strong confidence and looked around at all the mages for this game, music was still thumping and the din from downstairs was still serious, but this, this was the hard core part of the party.

"Alright kiddies, I have never, had sex on a train." Cana smiled.

"Any kind of sex? Blowjobs count?" Laxus asked.

"Any kind of sex." Cana smirked.

Laxus smirked right back, reaching for a shot along with Sting, Evergreen, Gaza and very not surprising, Bickslow.

"We don't have a lot of trains in Bosco or Archipelago, we use airships." Cristoff shrugged at Kalebs quirked brow at his younger brother. "She didn't say cable car." He added making Kaleb finally smile.

Cana beamed, she'd just nabbed both of the new Dragon mates and was already praying they took dares.

"Lucy? Pick." She smirked, even if they didn't pick a dare she was going to see just how well they handled Fairy Tail fun.

Lucy narrowed her eyes, she'd played this game, had thought about sneaking out and going home to avoid it, had even tried ducking behind the bar to help Mira, but no luck, Cana had drug her up here.

Damned no matter what she chose and she knew it.

"Truth." She cringed, she just didn't want to be Canas first dare victim, she really didn't it was always bad.

"Of the men here, who would you most like to have sex with?" Cana demanded and Lucy smiled she had a safe zone for this thank the Gods.

"Laxus." She answered immediately seeing Cana frown and mentally kick herself for not excluding Lucys "big brother".

Laxus smirked at his fellow blonde. "I'd rock your fucking world too." He said firmly.

Lucy blew him a kiss "Oh I know you would big boy."

"Levy, truth or dare?" Cana sighed, hating Lucy and Laxus both at the moment.

Levy was already looking nervous, glaring at Bickslow for being the only one of them escaping this round. She, like Lucy, had played this game before and knew about the legend that was Canas first dare of the game. It was always something she'd thought about since the game before, always something evil.

"Truth." She sighed in resignation, knowing whatever she was asked it would somehow make her squirm to answer.

"Whose better in bed, Bixy or Gajeel?" Cana demanded.

Levy narrowed her eyes. "You'll have to be more specific because they both have talents that make that choice impossible." She replied airily.

Cana smirked. "Oral."

Levy and Gajeel both answered her with a smirk. "Bickslow"

Bickslow grinned, tongue lolling out of his mouth lewdly at Cana who rolled her eyes. She so should have chosen kink.

"Gajeel, truth or dare?" Gajeel had played before too, knew the game would be riding an edge until this was out of the way and decided to throw himself on the grenade.

"Dare." He sneered.

"Oh I love you right now…" Cana purred "Strip big boy, you're giving your mates a lap dance." She smiled.

Gajeel stood and smiled down at his mates. Levy was wide eyed and nervous but Bickslow was leering at him. Cana didn't know, in fact, nobody at the table knew, aside from Laxus who he'd taken the damn job with on Makarovs order, but Gajeel had worked nearly a month as a stripper.

He didn't like dancing or any sort of exhibitionism outside being on stage with his guitar, but that sure didn't mean he didn't know how to do it, and do it really well.

Laxus' knowing smirk as Gajeel kicked Levy and Bickslows chairs back from the table to give himself room was the only warning.

For a big man, Gajeel was surprisingly flexible, something he worked to maintain and improve endlessly. He was mated to an acrobat now too, training with Bickslow on the island had opened up all new sets of exercises he'd never considered, and hand to hand combat was all about being able to move fluidly and fast.

He just timed things to the music, and while maybe his voice wasn't the best, Gajeel could follow a beat.

He opted to set Levy in Bickslows lap seeing her blushing crimson being on display under everyones eyes, knowing Bickslow would keep her involved and make up for any of her shy retreats. When he pulled her from her chair he made her ride his moving body though, trying not to chuckle at Levys tomato red face and ears when he slid her down into Bickslows lap.

The chair was on wheels, like all of the chairs upstairs were, so he used that, shedding his shirt, Bickslow reaching around Levy to help him while Cana and several others howled in approval at the table.

He needed only give Bickslow one warning look and the Seith kept his touches tame, though mentally he made it clear that in his opinion they needed to do this at home…soon.

A few mouths fell open at the realization Gajeel wasn't just doing this, he was really fucking good at it.

Once the last of his clothes, shy his boxer briefs because the rule was NOT complete nudity per Master Makarovs orders after an embarrassing incident where the magic council had sent an inspection team to the guild and walked in on 15 drunk naked mages around a table.

Gajeel stepped off Bickslow and Levy then, retrieving his clothes while his mates tried to calm themselves, Bickslow not letting Levy leave his lap yet while he scooted them back to the table.

Cana, still wide eyed, looked at the big Beast Master mage "Truth or dare Beck, and don't think because you're a visitor that I'll be nice…" She warned.

"Dare me." Beck growled, narrowing his eyes on her. She licked her lips, she couldn't deny the man had a distinct appeal to him, all muscle and feral power. He had the same raw beastial sex appeal as the Dragon Slayers. With hair the color of pine needles and his exotic bi-colored eyes.

"Kiss the prettiest thing here, and I mean KISS, tongue must be involved." She smirked. Cobras growl was unmistakable, after what had happened Canas dare was twice as evil as the last one but that was the point.

Beck stood with a smirk on his face and walked right to her, when he stepped right up to her and slid an arm around her pulling her into his bare chest while his free hand tilted her head back Cana Alberona actually was surprised.

"Prettiest thing here." Beck purred leaning in and kissing her. She held it together until his tongue teased her lips followed by sharp teeth, dear god he had fangs top and bottom, long canines that made his nip of her lower lip sting and her mouth opened for his tongue to slide in and tease hers.

Cana usually played these things way the hell up, she wasn't shy, hell if gramps hadn't forbidden it, she'd still be fucking men in storage rooms and anywhere in the guild she could pull one for even marginal privacy, she'd lay most of the men at this table right on it and have herself a ride in front of everyone if she didn't know she's get her ass kicked for it.

It had been more than a month too, three since Bacchus had been through town, she could always rely on him, the Palm mage was easy to get into bed and very vigorous and skilled there.

Still the best her shocked and awed body could manage in Becks arms was to slide her arms around his neck and kiss him back hungrily. She blamed her dry spell, she was deprived and overly needy, it was harder to deal with a really fucking good kiss from someone who clearly knew how to kiss well, when she was feeling the itch of a "vitamin D" deficiency as keenly as she was right now.

When Beck pulled back Canas' needy moan drew some chuckles and snorts from the table but she didn't care, holy fuck her panties were officially ruined. Her hungry stare into those bi-colored eyes drew a rakish wink from the Beast Master before he slid from her arms and returned to his seat getting a high five from Gaza and a fist bump from Cristoff.

Cana narrowed her eyes, oh…it was like that huh? Little united Boscan going on? Not in her game….

"Cristoff, truth or dare?" She demanded. She watched Natsu lean into his mates side, whisper by his ear, holy fuck Cristoffs answering smirk as midnight blue eyes met hers defiantly through thick black lashes didn't help the situation with her itch, nor did she miss the smirks that crossed every dragon slayers face, along with Kalebs, Bickslow, and Levy's. The slayers must've heard what Natsu had said, and shared with their mates through the bonds.

"Dare." He growled.

"Show us how a Dragon Slayer dominates his mate." She sneered. The flash of silver as the flecks of it in Cristoffs eyes suddenly spread was the only warning she got.

She hadn't specified WHO he was demonstrating on, her mistake.

He vanished, Cana unaware of his teleport abilities, and found him suddenly behind her. Powerful hands grabbed her wrists spinning her and before she could even suck in a shocked gasp she was on her back on the table wrists pinned in a single large hand above her head, Cristoff between her legs leaning forward on his free arm over the top of her smiling down at her for a moment before he lunged forward and scraped sharp teeth over her neck, drawing another shuddering gasp out of her as he growled "This…is how we dominate our mates…"

Cana was almost unable to breathe but then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone again, back in his seat beside Natsu rubbing his mates back reassuringly and whispering to him.

"Holy shit…" Lucy breathed from near where Cana was just starting to collect herself and get off the table.

"Well fuck…that was hot…" Cana admitted and Cristoff smirked at her.

She narrowed her eyes on his mate "Natsu, truth or dare?" As he always did Natsu grinned "Dare." Oh he was too easy and she needed to get one in on Cristoff now.

"Dominate Cristoff." She smiled.

Natsu gave her a confused look, like she'd just asked him to turn the sky purple. "I can't…I've tried…not my thing anyway." He shrugged and reached for a tray of shots without hesitating.

Cana glared at him. "You're not even going to try?!" She asked disbelievingly.

"Can't, we'd destroy the guild hall, I'm telling you Cana, I can't dominate my mate, he's too fucking strong and…I like it that way…gramps would be pissed if we tore into each other up here and the rules are nothing that could severely harm or kill you…I'm telling you…the fight for dominance would be nasty and I wouldn't win because…I don't want to." He said simply starting in on the ten shot penalty for being unable to fulfill a dare.

Cristoff leaned into him, nuzzling his neck and making him grin again, whispering by his ear. "I am so rewarding you tonight for that." He purred and Natsu shuddered, now grinning widely as he happily worked his way through the shots.

Cana turned to Kaleb, her prey of the evening, preferred target, she so so so wanted to work into getting her hands on him with Cobra sitting right there, A nice squeeze of that fine ass she'd been admiring so much and twirl that platinum hair around her fingers and finally get to feel if it was as silken soft as it looked. Cobra sure as hell loved playing with it, she was always seeing him with a lock of it in his fingers if his face wasn't buried in it or his hands weren't just fisted in it while he kissed those full lips.

Damnit, she wanted a taste of that blonde, he was forbidden fruit with a Poison Dragon slayer guarding him jealously.

"Cobra, truth or dare?" She asked, choosing her words carefully.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he tried to get a read on what she was planning, but somehow she was managing to think of what she was going to be asking the rest of the table all at the same time, making her soul muddled, and Kaleb wasn't being much help, carefully shielding unless he purposely sent a thought his way. He had to admit that he was a bit torn. He was leery about any dare that Cana may have, but equally concerned about any truth she may want to know.

"Truth." He finally settled on. He knew how much Cana had been trying to get her hands on his mate, and didn't want to chance that possible dare.

"Between you and Kaleb, who's the dominant?" Cana asked, smirking. She really wanted some fuel for these two men for her fantasies.

"Neither. We take turns, because power wise, while he is exponentially more powerful than I am, we like being equal and challenging each other." Cobra answered quickly, feeling a bit relieved at the question. "Plus it makes for some really fun grapples at home." Cobra finished with a smirk.

"Alright, I can see that."Cana nodded, before turning to Kaleb, her look turning predatory. She could see Cobra tense, lips lifting in a snarl, even as his eyes narrowed on her until he paused. She could see Kalebs arm flex to the hand that was under the table, and could only assume that his hand was on Cobra's thigh, keeping him in place.

"Kaleb, truth or dare?" Cana asked with a wicked curl of her lips. The answering smirk she got had her own gaze narrowing, but far be it for her to back down.

"Dare." Kaleb answered smoothly, his hand under the table running over Cobras thigh soothingly. He had a feeling he knew what the dare would be, and while the rest of the game had been going on, had assured Cobra that if it was what he thought it was, to let it happen with some stipulations. Cobra obviously wasn't happy about it, but if it worked, then he'd deal with it this one time.

The victorious smile that spread across Cana's face had Kaleb mentally sighing.

"I dare you to let me get a feel of that ass and hair for a full minute without any interference." Cana stated, arms crossing. She was obviously hoping that he would take the dare, but she figured that if he didn't, and started getting drunk, then at some point this night she'd still be able to get her hands on him. So either way, it was a win.

Rolling his eyes, and finally sighing out loud, giving a reassuring pat to Cobras leg, Kaleb stood and walked around the table. It took a moment for her to respond before she was scrambling to her feet, a giddy smile taking place on her lips.

"Don't think I didn't hear that last part drunk." Cobra snarled, glaring as he fought every instinct to get between Cana and Kaleb. "He, nor I, get drunk, his light purges toxins, and it just gives me a power boost. The only fucking reason we're allowing this is with the understanding that this is the ONLY time this happens. After this you keep your hands to yourself, no matter what. You try to touch him again with the intention of groping him in any way, and I'll rip your arm off, shove it down your throat and pull it out of your ass, you understand?"

Kaleb fought hard not to laugh, knowing that mentally Cobra was growling and pouting at the same time.

"I understand." Cana breathed, her eyes glazed, hands already reaching out as Kaleb stepped closer.

"Everyone here is witness to that deal Cana, so keep that in mind." Kaleb stated firmly, pausing in front of the smaller woman. He was glad to see that her eyes cleared enough to fill with determination as she nodded in acceptance. "Alright Cana, your minute starts now, and no kissing, even I draw the line at that." He stated, tucking his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans.

Canas fingers just itched and she slid her hands over a firm abdomen and about wanted to cry, he really did have a nice body, it wasn't just looks, his clothes hid some serious muscle. Her hands slid around behind him and over his denim clad ass and she curled her fingers around the rounded hard muscle and bit her lower lip. Gods, perfection, she loved tight hard asses like this, Cobra had a nice one too, she'd grabbed that feel shortly after he'd joined the guild.

Looking up she found Kaleb looking at her, amusement dancing in lavender/gray eyes but otherwise, his breathing, everything was calm, he might have been watching a mildly interesting movie as having her grabbing his ass for all the reaction she was getting.

She knew her time was running out when he glanced at the clock on the wall and shot her hands up into those long platinum blonde locks and groaned at the thick silken softness she was moving her fingers through when two tanned hands grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands out of Kalebs hair and her away from the blonde who was looking behind her smiling.

"That's it, all you will ever fucking get, drunk." Cobra growled, pushing her toward her chair and stepping up to his mate who gladly reached for him, cupping his face for a quick but firm kiss while Cobra brushed the hair Cana had pulled forward back over Kalebs shoulders.

The pair sat back down and Cana, grinning turned her eyes on her final victim.

"Freed, truth or dare?"

The Rune mage usually took truths because he never cared for what dares made him do physically, however, Cana had been pestering him for information about Bickslows family, specifically his brothers since two had shown up and been almost immediately claimed by dragon slayers.

Freed had been to Archipelago, his family was friends with the King and he knew Bickslows siblings fairly well from the visits the Raijinshuu had taken there. Now that Bickslows heritage and royal title was known, curiosity about all of that was rampant and Freed hated being pinned down over that topic because he felt it invaded Bicsklows privacy.

Something he and the Raijinshuu had protected for years.

"Dare." He said managing not to grimace when he did.

Cana smile was predatory. "Pick a Boscan to kiss you, I want heat, tongue, because if there isn't tongue it isn't hot." Cana said.

There was a derisive snort and she looked at the Beast Master mage who was smiling at her. "You haven't been kissed well if you believe that." He said firmly. She refrained from nibbling at her lower lip as the possibility of that big muscle bound hunk showing her what he meant flickered through her mind.

She looked back at Freed who looked horrified but was weighing his options. The only two unattached Boscans at the table were Beck and Gaza, the rest were mated, and had jealous mates.

Cobra was smirking, almost hoping Freed picked Kaleb because he knew Freed and he knew his mate. Freed would be just mortified the whole way through and Kaleb would make sure he curled the prim and proper mans fucking toes. Not that he wanted his mate kissing other people, he didn't, but this was Freed, his team mate, he knew it meant nothing and that Freed would likely be so flustered by the whole thing the next time Kaleb and him played chess Kaleb would have a hefty advantage.

 _You're evil…but I hope he picks me…I wouldn't mind using that advantage. He's beaten me twice in a row this week_. Kalebs voice in his head came through clear and Cobra smiled

 _Make him pick you_. Cobra said firmly back.

 _Make him? Seriously_?...

 _Show me what you can do babe…make Cana fucking squirm_ …

Kaleb smirked faintly, caught Freeds eye and the idea was planted, strong and sudden and Freed just said it, shocking everyone. "Kaleb." He said then blinked and his own eyes flew wide in astonishment as the Mind mage stood and started toward him.

Canas mouth fell open, looking at Cobra she saw him smirking with a smug look on his face, no growls, no anger.

Kaleb went right to Freed, not giving the Rune mage time to think much about what was happening, deliberately keeping him off balance so he didn't panic. Leaning forward Kaleb gripped the arms of Freeds chair to cage him in locking eyes with him for a moment before pushing a hand behind Freeds head and pulling him up to his feet. Cupping his other hand on the other side of Freeds face, Kaleb eased into kissing him.

He deliberately didn't just ram his tongue into the Rune mages mouth, instead tilting his head and working the other mans lips with his, nipping at his lower lip, tilting his head to change angles and easing a slow seal over the rune mages mouth again.

It was enough to draw a sound from Cana, make Freed knees give out and Cobra narrowed his eyes on Beck who had looked away. The man knew, knew Kaleb was well and gone out of his reach, but it didn't mean his Guild Master didn't still turn him on.

Kaleb eased Freed back into his chair and smiled at him before looking at a gaping Cana. "Hot enough?" He asked, Cana nodded silently and Kaleb turned back and sat back next to his mate whose hand immediately gripped his thigh.

 _'I am fucking you senseless when we get home…fair warning_.' Came right into Kalebs head, along with some images of Cobras various ideas for just how he planned to take his mate was enough to have the blonde shifting in his seat giving his mate a narrow eyed look as fingers strayed between his legs.

 _IF you can pin me down, who says I'm going to just let you bend me over that sofa? I hate that sofa_ …

 _If I promise to let you buy a new one when we move into the bigger place would you_? Cobra returned.

Kalebs hand slid to his mates thigh. _You can fuck me on the sofa till it breaks if you let me get rid of it_ …

"Sorry Cana, congratulations Natsu…Cristoff…we're out for the night." Cobra said abruptly, Kaleb chuckling as he was dragged to his feet.


	18. Chapter 17

A/N: Heya folks! So sorry for the delay in an update, there's been a lot going on for both writers of this story, one of us has had a family emergency being dealt with, while the other is in the process of moving. So just for a heads up, for the next few weeks, delays may still happen, but Desna and I will work to still have updates happen. Please be patient, and enjoy this chapter! Remind to read and review!

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"I wasn't sure where I stood on them but after the trip up here? Shit, I'M in love with Cristoff." Gray said with a smirk as he walked beside Lucy. She giggled, nodding in agreement. "My legs didn't fall asleep once and I didn't have to get Virgo to wash puke out of anyones clothes, I think I'm with you." She agreed.

The trip had been an eye opener. Cristoff had just utterly changed the way Natsu travelled. First, for the long stretches they had gotten sleeper compartments, Lucy and Erza shared one, Gray had one to himself and Natsu and Cristoff shared another. Across from their compartment, Lucy and Erza had been treated to a few hints as to how Cristoff handled Natsu, at least in the bedroom.

While none of them would admit it, Cristoffs magic, with more experience and better guidance under his belt since his dragon had not been forced to leave him when he was so young, worked better than Wendys. His first spell on Natsu each day kept the Fire Slayer completely happy and motion sickness free all day.

He sat with Natsu and got him into small magic exercises all about precision and used affection to motivate his mate, something Natsu absolutely thrived with too. Hell, Gray and Lucy had agreed they wouldn't mind working on their magic with Cristoff, Lucy silently adding she'd gladly take the kisses and affectionate touches Cristoff doled out. The practice was meant to work on Natsus control of his magic, something they all agreed he desperately needed and they learned with immense happiness, Cristoffs magic could contain Natsus. He could envelop Natsus fire in a shimmering silvery mist that smelled like dew covered grass and keep it from getting out of hand in an instant.

He'd prevented Natsu from burning things the whole trip. Natsu was free to still play cards and chat with the rest of the team, and Cristoff was easy to get along with, had a wicked sharp sense of humor and an easy smile that even put Gray at ease.

Rose Garden was the center of the floral and perfume industries of Earthland. No other kingdom anywhere could boast the flowers that were grown there and the Temple of Venus stood there, beckoning lovers from all over so it had become the premier wedding site in Fiore too.

Lucy had been there once before but it had been a long time ago. Erza apparently made a point of coming every year, they raised amazing Strawberries here and several master bakers who specialized in cakes due to all the weddings held there, it was a sort of cake utopia because of that.

They checked into the resort that had made the request and Erzas eyes glazed over a short time later when they were handed unlimited passes to all the bath houses in Rose Garden.

The most recent one that had been targeted was near the temple so they made their way there first. Cristoff was shaking his head as they walked in and Erza gave him a sideways look. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Bath houses with separate areas, men and women separated…it's just odd, the bathhouses where I come from are all open to both, not segregated." He said. Erza shrugged "I have never understood it either." She admitted and Lucy pressed her lips together recalling the times Erza had gone into baths with Gray and Natsu without a second thought.

"Actually there are three on our itinerary that are "open" don't have separate areas." Gray said looking at their list.

Lucys eyes bugged though she was the only one who seemed the least bit concerned.

The last bath house they visited for the first day was an un-separated variety and Lucy donned her bathing suit, grateful they were required. She had just settled in with Erza, smiling at the re-quip mages complaints about having to wear a bathing suit in a bath when Natsu, Gray and Cristoff came in.

Now Lucy had gone on a couple of missions with the Raijinshuu, and plenty with Gajeel, she'd been around when women reacted to muscular Dragon Slayers, especially Laxus who had fans all over the place and most of them were seriously enthusiastic.

So she was conditioned a little in not being effected by women reacting to her guild mates, even Natsu and Gray got them from time to time. She knew Cristoff was built, that was obvious, she just hadn't known how well.

In a snug fitted set of swim shorts that hugged his body in black spandex that left off at his upper thigh and had a waist band low enough the wolf tattoo on the front of his right hip was visible, Cristoff rivaled Laxus and Gajeel, the difference being he sported even more elaborate tattoos than Laxus did and was more "inviting", friendlier than Laxus and Gajeel were.

Where Laxus and Gajeel glowered most of the time and looked endlessly menacing, Cristoff usually wore a faint smile and was just…approachable. The women in the large bath house noticed the Lunar Dragon Slayer pretty quickly.

He didn't react to them, was actually busy checking the water feed where the manager of the bath house led him and the others to show them where the poisonous fish had been sent into the baths.

When they finished talking with the manager and waded into the bath, heading for Erza and Lucy though, Cristoff got swamped by admiring women and Natsu lost his sense of humor about it pretty quickly.

"The hells wrong with them?! He's not interested, he told them he wasn't…why…oh hell no…" Natsu was moving and Erza was going to intercept him when he saw one of the women run her hand up Cristoffs chest. Cristoff caught her wrist and pushed her hand away giving her a mildly annoyed look as he walked by but Natsu was seeing red.

Fortunately, Cristoff caught him, hooking a thickly muscled arm around his mate and sweeping him into his chest.

"Show them who I belong to." Cristoff purred at him and Natsus eyes widened, the woman forgotten in an instant as he lunged in to kiss Cristoffs smiling lips. It caused a ripple of disappointment through the feminine patrons as Cristoff waded to Erza and Lucy with Natsu wrapped around him like a vine.

A few more kisses and he slid his fingers into the hair at the back of Natsus head and made him pull back, growling at the Fire Slayer when he whimpered and tried to pull Cristoff to him.

"Later, I promise." He told his pouting mate.

There was a definite pattern through the bath houses, whoever was doing it was using the water filtration networks the facilities used and so far, there were no witnesses, nobody had seen anyone even getting near the things.

After reviewing what little they had learned, acknowledging it was late and deciding to start back up in the morning since they had only arrived there a few hours ago and were all tired from the trip, they retreated to the changing rooms to get back in their regular clothes, deciding to split up the next day to cover more places.

Lucy sighed, nothing, there were 11 bath houses across Rose Garden, each one themed, and there were 5 of them each taking their own, Cristoff sticking up for Natsu taking one on his own even though his friends who had known him for years thought his new mate had to be nuts.

Still covering 5 bathhouses at a time they hadn't seen anything suspicious. Lucy was enjoying all the soaking, the tea baths, mineral wraps, her skin was going to be smooth and silky for months after this mission. Still, as pleasant as staking out bath houses was, it was aggravating they had found nothing, seen nothing.

"Best mission ever." She sighed, unable to really linger on the aggravation long when she was covered in a moisturizing mud with bagged herbs over her eyes.

She was enjoying this job, just enough alone time she was able to handle the affectionate dragon slayers without the depression getting to her and robbing her of all the enjoyment.

That night though Natsu was frowning and pointing out he'd dozed off in the mineral soak and emerged with a bruise and bleeding hole in his arm. Cristoff hadn't looked concerned at first but when he bent over his mates arm and started pushing magic into him he did frown.

"Something was stuck into your arm, either a really large needle or a really thin dagger…." He healed the spot and they agreed to check the place out better tomorrow. Cristoff and Gray would go with Natsu to it.

The following evening when they gathered to share their experiences, Cristoff was glaring at his own arm.

"I swear some creepy guy with greasy hair slipped into your room, you didn't see him?" Gray demanded.

Cristoff shook his head and Natsu growled, he'd fallen asleep again and when they had both been awakened by their attendant, Cristoff now had a bruise and a hole in his arm. He wiped a glowing hand over it and all traces of the small injury were gone but the thing that got to them all was whoever had done it, had now done this to two Dragon Sayers, mages it was really hard to sneak up on!

Cristoff was brooding about the whole thing through dinner that night. Something about it all struck him as off. While the others were thinking it had to do with their job somehow, he was wondering if that was really the case.

Levy had been bled, Gajeel had said Bickslow had been, and that a blood mage had given Bickslows "Madame" a cursed seed to put in him to help her control him, then they knew Gajeel, Cobra and Kaleb had all been bled, the Nightmare mages had even spoken about needing their blood.

If nightmare had blood mages there were some extremely dangerous things that could happen, a limitless number of them in fact, if they were collecting blood…they had to be doing it for a reason, and he knew whoever had caused the injury to his arm had taken his blood, he felt it, felt depleted, even if only mildly. He was sensitive to things like that as a healer, with Natsu it was just as likely he'd stabbed himself on something without knowing it, but both him and Cristoff? No, that wasn't an accident.

Natsus hand was rubbing his thigh, the Fire Slayer giving him a worried curious look, sensing he was distracted and not in a good way.

"It's alright, I'm just thinking, maybe we should turn in early, be at the bath houses tomorrow when they first open?" He suggested and Erza agreed and they all soon were standing and heading for their rooms because the bath houses opened at dawn.

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Laxus sat back in his chair contemplating the guild beneath him. Team Natsu was away on a job for a while so that had brought a little peace to the guild. Cobra had mated, his new mate being no less than the Guild Master of fucking White Sea too, recovering him from the coven had been a harrowing experience but the pair had settled in, the sisterhood with White Sea was well into the works, nearing completion and already some members of the massive Boscan guild had come forward wanting to transfer to Fairy Tail, stay with their Master. Beck was among them, and at first Laxus had been inclined to deny the request because of what had happened between him and Kaleb, but that seemed to have been settled.

Cana had started flirting with the Beast Master mage since their game the other night and Laxus couldn't deny the man was thoughtful, well behaved for the most part, had a counterpart in Rowan, a red haired green mage who was, of the two, loud boisterous and Macao and Wakaba loved him because he apparently cultivated the best tobacco mix either had ever tried, his own father, Makarov, was even enjoying Rowans hand rolled cigars and cigarellos.

Altogether, Kalebs personal team pretty much all wanted to stay with him, which meant Cobra had started taking jobs with them, just a couple so far since the paperwork wasn't all complete, but he'd been the legal Fairy Tail mage enabling the team to work.

They'd come back to glowing praise from the requesters too. It made sense, not a person on that team except for Cobra wasn't full S-class and Kaleb… well, Fairy Tail was getting a boost of strong mages that would help it a lot.

Watching Cana grabbing Beck right after he'd stood to head to the bar for a drink he sighed. His guild mates were pairing off. He was happy for them, the way it was happening was strengthening the guild, and his grandfather was after him to find his mate. But no matter how he explained it wasn't easy, it was made harder by Makarov keeping him buried in paperwork, his grandfather didn't relent.

He wanted Laxus "Settled" before he retired. It added one more stress on the Lightning Slayer, who was already out of his depth as it was. Bickslow was mated…fucking TWICE, so he didn't feel like he could intrude on his best friend anymore what with him practically stapled to Gajeel and Levy. Sure he'd taken that job with Natsu but only after Laxus had badgered him about maybe he needed to leave the Raijinshuu since he was so busy with his mates, and, like it or not? Levy wasn't going to be accepted, it stepped right into Freeds place in the team and Laxus wouldn't put Freed into that sort of position even if it meant he lost Bickslow.

So he'd told Bix it was fine if he just had to be with his mates all the time, but no, Levy and Gajeel couldn't come on missions with the Raijinshuu unless it was some huge job that required two mages that did basically the same things. Freed was Runes Levy was script, but it was too close, the pair would leave each other feeling underworked. Gajeel would be fine, he'd worked with them before, but that left Levy feeling left behind and played on her insecurities and Laxus didn't want that either.

The influx of new mages though might allow new teams to form, and some how it could all sort out but Laxus seemed to suffer from a permanent migraine these days trying to sort it out so nobody got hurt or left out.

Something not too long ago he wouldn't have given a damn about and still had less fucks to give than his grandfather, but he wanted the guild happy. They had the Grand Magic games coming in the early fall this year and if he had his way, he was fucking putting some of their new people into that and wiping the damn floor with Sabertooth and the other guilds.

That thought had him smiling when a familiar steel toed boot hit his leg.

"You're looking smug, what evil plans are you mulling over boss?" Bix asked him, sitting on the railing. A rare moment of him not being attached to his mates. Laxus shoved the thought aside, realizing it was jealous bullshit he didn't want to entertain. He refused to be upset his best friend was fucking happy for a change.

"Thinking about the Grand Magic games this fall, if we get shit sorted out it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all to put a Fairy Tail wizard saint or TWO on the fucking field, Jellal or Kaleb would give Jura a run for his fucking money." He smirked at Bix who laughed.

"Yeah once the paperwork is done Kaleb is official Fairy Tail slash White Sea isn't he? I think a lot of his team will be too, Becks going to transfer fully to Fairy Tail though according to Cana, though if she's got her way his membership requirement will be sleeping in her bed every night I think." Bickslow chuckled.

Laxus smirked "Yeah she had her hands on his ass the minute he stood up a minute ago."

"And he wasn't objecting either. Makes Cobra happy, flowers has been all prickly protective with Beck around the Guild like he is." Bickslow added.

"Yep…her ass might just finally get one she can hold on to with that Beast Master mage…seems like a good guy though. Gramps is about going Mira on me lately with all this shit." He sighed.

"Pressure to find your mate huh? It'll happen boss. Oh! Before I forget, my little sister is coming out, wants to meet Kaleb and Cristoffs mates." He said smiling.

"Xally?" Laxus perked up, he'd met Xally, brilliant, beautiful, quiet and someone he himself had thought about asking out back when he was staying in Archipelago with Bickslows family for a while.

"Nope, Emi, I know she was off on a century class job last time you were on the Islands, and for some reason every time you've visited she's just not been there, but you'll finally get to meet her." He said smiling still while looking out over the guild.

Laxus nodded. "She's the dragon slayer, the one Kaleb said had all the trouble getting through her first few mating seasons right? That was Emi not some other Dragon Slayer from White Sea?"

"White Sea only ever had her and Cristoff as far as Dragon Slayers and yeah, she really struggled, would have gone nuts if it weren't for Cris, only one who could walk through her fucking solar magic without getting hurt." Bickslow replied in a more subdued tone.

"She's a dancer too, kinda excited to see her, we used to tear up the clubs in Pelerno. She got heavy into her training and work the last couple of years so I haven't seen her in ages." Bickslow admitted. He wasn't happy about that, even though he had a large family they had always stayed close, with only one sibling being the exception and all of them had felt that distance every year as they grew up, watching their absent siblings island change and grow as he did.

It was something they didn't dwell on, but all of the Pradesh children felt their missing sibling, like they felt their youngest brothers troubles, worried about him with all the dark things he was trapped in, the heavy burdens he carried. They were in general a happy family, maybe that was what made them so in tune when things weren't right with one of them.

"Well, I'll be glad to finally meet her, her and your older brother are the only two I haven't met, though I know…about your older brother and shit." Laxus said quietly.

He knew, he wasn't sure Bix had even told Levy and Gajeel about that yet, but Laxus knew, it was fucked up and a pain the family carried all the time, but Arman had never let it hinder the love and attention he lavished on his other children, maybe even done more than he would have had things been normal.

"Yeah. For the record too Boss? I'm not leaving the Raijinshuu, I know why you laid things down like you did, and I love Freed like a brother and agree with you. Nothings changing, we'll take missions here and there on our own just the three of us from time to time, but I'm still Thunder Legion to the bone and still your fucking friend, so I was thinking, Gajeel's working with Levy on some strength stuff, hand to hand shit, outta my element, maybe I could hang at your place tonight? I'll spring for take out." He offered.

Laxus eyed him. "8 Island? 3 double bacon burger combos?" He asked.

Bickslow grinned. "Fuck yeah, and I'm getting myself one of those avocado burgers, you provide the booze and movies, I'll bring the food."

"Deal." Laxus smiled.

Maybe things were going to be alright after all….

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Natsu was learning a lot. First, he very much liked being mated, he had peace, felt he had a "home" with Cristoff. More than that, his mate was just…fun. Calm, sensible, like a built in safety net for his impulsiveness, but also, fun. He challenged him, almost every day there was something he put in front of Natsu, whether it was some minor control challenge, or he had him at the hotel gym pushing him to dead lift ridiculous amounts.

He would listen, never once called him an "idiot" like every single other person he knew, including Happy, seemed to do on a regular basis. They took turns choosing what card game to play, Gray was incapable of one-upping him on insults, Cristoff was just plain good at those with 5 brothers and 2 sisters to practice on his whole life and he seemed to like Natsus playful side just fine, engaging in a silly string war in their hotel room

Then there were the things that were less about fun and more about his heart. Cristoff was affectionate, Natsu was prone to being that way himself and his mate never chided him or pushed him away when he would touch him, come up behind him and wind his arms around him and rest his forehead on the bigger slayers back.

All it took at times was a simple glance, a moment of wanting and he'd get the kiss he was needing, the smile, hug, or just a brief touch.

The passion was very real too, he'd never imagined anything like it. Watching his mate walk around in snug swim shorts, water running down his tanned skin and all those intricate tattoos left him needing, wanting…lusting after the tall Lunar slayer by the end of each day and Cristoff never left him wanting long.

They had finally run down the people responsible for the attacks too, a family wanting to open their own business, seeking to do damage to the existing competition before they opened themselves.

Lucy had figured it out, found the son of the owner of the "Opening Soon" facility lurked around all of the other businesses and when he finally told her, "You know you might not be safe here, they've had people dump poisonous fish into their baths from time to time, might want to try us out, we have better security…" and given her a flier she'd gotten Gray and they had gone to the place, found it not as fancy as some of the other places were.

Lack of funds for that, they hoped ruining the other places would make their business boom so they could improve things as they went. Ultimately though, they wouldn't be opening anything. Erza and Cristoff were able to get into the family home and had found they raised the poisonous fish in a large pond in their own back yard.

The last night there Natsu had clung to the headboard of the bed as Cristoff thrust into his body, biting his lip trying not to shout as much since they'd had a few complaints (Mostly from Gray).

"So…good…"He gasped out and shuddered feeling Cristoffs fangs scrape over his shoulder. "I'll make it better." He purred and pressed himself against his mates back, gripping the fronts of his thighs for a couple of really hard thrusts that had Natsu mewling before sliding his hand around to start working Natsus dripping length. The Fire Slayer didn't last long once Cristoff focused on that along with his deep rough thrusts into Natsus writhing body.

He felt Cristoffs magic all around him now, his mate had figured out how to contain his fire while they had sex so Natsu was free to just let himself go and enjoy every moment, knowing if anything made it past the silken mint scented mists that would cover his skin, Cristoff would usually run his tongue right over the flames and lick them away.

He'd screamed out his finish and his pleasure tore through the bond and ripped Cristoff right over the edge with him, both slayers collapsing to the bed panting and smiling, reaching for each other and cuddling in as soon as they could move. Safe…loved…he'd never felt it more than he did looking into those midnight eyes.

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"We're back!" Natsu shouted as he kicked open the guild doors and strode in to shouted greetings and welcomes, Cristoff shortly behind him walking with Lucy, the two discussing possibly gathering Wendy and heading out for some training on the practice fields.

Lucy liked Cristoffs way of training, he worked a lot on control and stamina building, as a healer those things were crucial and, they happened to be big for a Celestial Mage too so she'd found herself mimicking the exercises she'd see him teaching Natsu until Cristoff noticed and told her he'd be happy to train with her too, had suggested she come while he worked with Wendy and they could work in a group.

Laxus saw them come in, smiling as he saw Cristoff pull Natsu right out of a brawl, pinning the fireslayer against the bar and whispering something that with all the noise in the guild even Laxus couldn't make out. Whatever it was, Natsu grinned, tilting his head back for Cristoff to place a kiss on his neck before he ducked under his mates arm and went to the table to sit with Erza and Gray.

Lucy went and fetched Wendy and the two young women went to Cristoff who grinned and the trio discussed going out to train for a while since it was still early in the day.

"Natsus tired from the train too, so I can leave him here while we work for a while. Come on, Mira said field 2 isn't in use, I'll show you both some back building techniques to power up a spell without depleting your magic energy." He offered and Lucy and Wendy were both grinning, eagerly walking with the Lunar Slayer out through the hallway toward the back doors of the guild and the practice fields.

Laxus sighed, Natsu was occupied, Mira setting a huge plate of fire chicken in front of him so maybe things would stay calm. Rising he went to his office, hoping for peace while he resumed his work.

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He could feel the pounding in his head, and did everything he could to ignore it.

Which of course, meant he was failing miserably.

Letting out a tired sigh, Laxus leaned back in his office chair, eyeing the piles of paper on his desk with a sneer of disgust. The pile to his left was easily a good five inches thick, and while it was an improvement ever since Cristoff had become Natsu's mate, there was still a long ways to go before he stopped destroying things every time he turned around. He even toyed with the idea of just shoving the stack of papers into his trash can then zapping the papers out of existence.

But he knew he couldn't.

Yanking open the bottom drawer of his desk, he yanked out the bottle of scotch stored there and poured himself a hefty two fingers into the empty glass on his desk. He could hear the dull roar of conversation leaking past his office door from the main hall downstairs. He wanted to be down there, watching them, being entertained by the nakama he affectionately termed as the guild fools. But his responsibilities to the guild came first. Taking another gulp of scotch, he reached for the other piles of papers, deciding to handle the lesser of the two evils before tackling what was commonly known as Natsu's pile.

It had become a regular thing for his gramps to dump all the paperwork on him, and Laxus had long since resigned himself to it. Hearing a knock at his door, he looked up, giving a quick sniff and identifying Mira with...oh! He was quick to get to his feet and hurry around his desk to open the door to her, stepping back so she could step into the office and carefully deposit the plate of hot food with dragon size helpings on the one clear spot on his desk.

Giving a small smile, he sat back down at his desk, sniffing happily at the extra large steak, two baked potatoes, and mountain of steamed vegetables. "Thanks Mira, I didn't realize what time it was."

"I didn't think you did. You came in pretty early and haven't come out since." Mira agreed with a slightly wistful smile, eyeing the large man from the corner of her eye as she leaned over his shoulder to look at the paperwork he'd been working on, and to brush against him, hoping he would catch the hint. When he didn't even look up from the paperwork, she couldn't stop the small pout that turned down the corners of her lips, before she turned and left the office without another word leaving the door open for when he finished his food.

After she left, Laxus took a deep steadying breath, eyes flicking towards the open door then back to the paperwork in front of him. He wasn't stupid, he knew she wanted him. The smell of her arousal, and the sound of her speeding heart had teased the air, making him aware of just how close she was to him, and when she had brushed her soft breasts against him, he had made sure he didn't move an inch, focusing on the papers before him instead.

He honestly didn't know what was wrong with him. He remembered not too long ago when he would've jumped on what she was hinting at, but lately nothing had been doing it for him. He was tense, on edge, and could definitely use the distraction, but...there had been nothing. Feeling the press of her breasts against his arm, and the soft brush of her skin against his had done absolutely nothing to stir his blood. He felt like an out of tune piano. Normally he would have responded right away, pulled her into his lap and gotten her worked up then bent her right over his desk, he'd done it before, he and Mira had a loose "friends with benefits" thing they had kept going for a few years.

Neither one of them particularly even liked the other much, they were guildmates and that was about it, but they both had pretty lusty appetites usually and had found sex together, if nothing else, was pretty satisfying.

Lately though, and Laxus hadn't a clue why, he just didn't…feel like it.

Sighing in frustration, he tore into the meal, huffing in a mix of enjoyment of the tasty meal, and aggravation at himself. A few more hours passed, and it wasn't until he managed to complete the last page of the Natsu pile that he realized a number of things. First was just how stiff he was from sitting for too long, second was just how painfully hungry he was, and third was just how loud the guild had gotten, the most noticeable being the insults being exchanged between the resident flame brain, and stripper.

He frowned then closed his eyes, remembering Cristoff was not currently present, but was out training with Wendy leaving his riotous mate to his own devices.

Groaning in aggravation, he was quick to scoop up his dirty dishes, and make his way downstairs, closing the office door behind him. Pausing at the banister separating the second floor from the first, he mentally facepalmed at the guild wide brawl that was happening. The sound of splintering wood, breaking dishes, and crashing tables, had his irritation growing. He knew who had started this guild, and he could see that the majority of the guild had been pulled into it, even Bix and Freed had somehow been caught up in all of it. Growling quietly, he hurried down the stairs before striding over the to bar that appeared to be vacant, but a quick look over the edge of it showed Mira, Lisanna, Ever, Lucy, and Levy taking cover behind it.

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes at the sheepish shrugs he got from them, he turned back to the mass of bodies throwing punches, kicks, and spells left and right.

After dealing with Natsu's personal pile of paperwork, he knew he was going to have to stop this brawl, just so he could beat some apparent sense into the idiotic flame-tard and his accomplice, the icy stripping bastard. Letting out another growl, he was quick to flash into his lightning body and flash into the middle of the brawl, letting his magic dance around him, getting stronger, building, shocking everyone repeatedly. He shoved aside a few bodies, felt an odd jolt travel back up his own arm when his hand connected with something soft and round, he closed his fingers faintly, if he didn't know better he'd think he was squeezing a womanly body part but the women were wisely not involved in this mess so he just shoved the soft mound channeling more electricity out his hands to jolt whoever's body part that was away from himself, Gods forbid it was Droy and one of his plump parts. Feeling confident and cocky, a smirk beginning to lift a corner of his lip, he wasn't expecting the flame wrapped fist that came out of no where, connecting with his jaw and sending him across the guild hall to make a crater in a back wall.

Everything stopped.

Everyone froze.

No breath was taken, no word was uttered, only silence as mouths dropped, eyes widened, and everyone shifted their gazes from where Laxus was only just crawling out of the crater with a curse, to the young woman standing in the middle of the hall. Where he had been a moment before. Standing tall, with golden blonde hair falling in thick waves to mid back, hip jutted out in a cocky stance and arms crossed under a well developed bust, the woman narrowed her eyes at him as Laxus pulled himself free. She adjusted the fallen strap of the snug wrap blouse she wore back up to her shoulder, the one that Laxus' hand had made fall and absently took note of just how tall he was. She was not a small woman herself, but as he stalked towards her, a snarl on his lip, each step crackling with lightning, and a drive edging on predatory filling his gaze, she became aware of just how tall he actually was, causing her to tilt her head back ever so slightly.

Smirking, she cocked a brow at him, not feeling intimidated by him in the slightest. Instead, as he came closer, his scent started swirling around her, teasing her senses, and she felt her breath catch. The sharp tang of ozone, with the dampness of the earth, and fresh rainwater. She knew exactly who he was from her brother, but she had never been home the few times this man had come to visit her family. Suddenly she was glad for that. She could feel her fangs beginning to ache and grow slightly longer, she could feel her blood beginning to heat, and her heart begin to sprint throughout her body.

Hearing her brother Bix start to hurry to her side, whispering curses under his breath, she was quick to hold up a hand, and he was stopped by that as well as Erik and Kaleb grabbing his shoulders.

"Don't do it Bix, you REALLY don't want to get between Emi and Laxus right now." Kaleb muttered, keeping a cautious gaze on his sister and the man who had become like another brother to them all. He could hear what was happening, hear his sisters dragon humming in desire and damn near licking its lips as it watched Laxus approach her. He knew what was happening, the same thing had happened when he had met Erik for the first time. Agreeably with a great deal less confusion, but it was no less powerful, the instinct taking over at the moment. He didn't have to look to know that Bix was looking at him with a gob-smacked expression on his face.

'Seriously?! Are you fucking serious right now Kaleb?! Don't tell me they're-' Bix thought to him, color draining from his face.

"They are, you know they are, you saw it happen with Erik and I." Kaleb confirmed softly, low enough for Bix to just barely hear, as Erik stood on the other side, ready to help keep Bix back if needed. He couldn't help but smirk as Bix slumped beside him with a defeated groan.

Across the hall, Laxus pulled himself from the crater that had once been a wall with a pained curse, doing an internal check to make sure everything was still working, that nothing was broken. When he found he could move just fine, if not a bit sore, he looked across the sea of frozen bodies to the singular woman who was looking back at him with a smirk every bit as cocky as his own. Fire, bright and golden licking over a hand as she pulled the strap of the blouse she was wearing back up over her shoulder, orange eyes narrowing on his.

He felt his dragon rise up inside him and begin to growl and he narrowed his eyes at the woman. He had caught her scent now, and it was making things very interesting for him. The smell of sun warmed grass, the fresh smell of a new day just as the sun rose above the horizon, and surprisingly, roses teased his senses, and had him feeling like his skin was suddenly too tight for his body, and his pants were certainly too tight for a whole different region of his body.

He didn't know why, but he almost felt like he had been challenged, and he wasn't one to back down from a fight. Stalking back across the hall, he didn't stop until he was standing before the woman, looking down at her with a glare. He could see that she was a tall woman, coming up to his shoulders on his 6'3 frame, and she definitely had curves in all of the right places.

Golden tan smooth skin, she was just pure female, with plump ruby red lips, long blood red finger nails, her generously curved body wrapped in a snug red blouse that hugged those gorgeous breasts and red harem style pants adorned with gold chains that held small red gems. The curving hint of a tattoo graced the right side of her bare midriff disappearing into the high waist of the silky pants that flared out with round beautiful hips from her narrow waist.

Her eyes, orange, burning like the sun itself at dawn, framed by heavy lashes were locked defiantly on his.

"I certainly didn't invite you to grab my tit blue eyes, had to give you a taste of how I handle grabby handed pervs who interrupt me when I'm busy." She said.

"I was breaking up a pile of idiots brawling and breaking things, sunshine, I sure didn't realize what I had my hand on…or I would have probably kept it there…" He returned.

Her lips curved but her eyes narrowed further "You couldn't have if you'd wanted to." She said.

He smirked, holy sweet Mavis was this woman hot as the sun…literally and figuratively, she smelled so damn good, his dragon was just losing its damn mind inside of him too, he felt his fangs lengthen against the insides of his lips and was gratified to see the tips of hers showing along the ruby edges of those luscious looking lips too…gods help him…she had fangs…his pants were decidedly too tight.

"I'm betting you'd want me to." He replied, confidence thick in his words.

She tilted her head giving him a wicked smile "I wouldn't lay money on those odds blue eyes, I beat brutes like you into pulps for a warm up."

He didn't know what drove him to do it, ok, maybe he did partly, but one moment he was glaring at her.

And the next?

He had her plastered against him in a tight grip, one hand holding onto her lower back securely, the other buried in her hair to keep her head still as he claimed her mouth as his.

It was all heat, and electricity, breathes clashing even as tongues fought for dominance, and lusty groans carrying to those in the guild hall. He didn't even hear the steady sound of Bix slamming his head into a support pillar nearby groaning "My baby fucking sister…", or the unstoppable laughter erupting from Kaleb and Erik as they listened to the inner reactions of the still silent guild mates surrounding them.

All Laxus could focus on was the spitfire of a woman in his arms, her own fingers clutching at him desperately, and how right it felt. After what felt like nowhere near long enough kissing her, they drew back from each other, gulping in much needed breathes and staring at each other. She was the first one to break the silence with a wicked smile, and breathless laugh.

"I'm Bix's sister, Emzadi." She said, running a red nail over his chin, fire colored eyes on his lips then his.

"Beautiful name, suits you perfectly, mate." Laxus answered with a grin that fully reached his eyes, acknowledging what she was to him.

The resounding thud that came from everyone hitting the floor had them both laughing in delight, echoed by Erik and Kaleb, Emzadi's laughter sending shivers of delight racing over his skin.

"You are so very mine, blue eyes…and I am going to test just how strong that muscled up body is…that you can safely bet on. Because I am marking that neck…branding you…" She purred and Laxus' mouth fell open, eyes widening, brain stuttering.

She smirked, hands closing on his face and pulling him to her for another searing kiss, and he reacted fast, when her tongue pushed past his lips, he met it with his own, his hands were gripping those rounded hips, pulling her hard against him, he didn't give a damn the whole guild was gawking, that there were noses starting to bleed.

When the distinct draconic growl came from her his whole being snapped to attention, Gods…he'd never heard a grown woman Dragon Slayer growl before…Wendy did but she had this sweetness about her still that added this little "aww" factor to it for him, Emzadi though, her growl vibrated through him and resonated right through his damn cock and if he got any harder he'd burst.

He had to get her out of here, he couldn't stop…he doubted she wanted to either, not if her leg sliding up his side hooking around his hip was any indication. His dragon was still in a state of full rebellion, demanding he tear away those silky red pants and just fuck her on the floor, get her screaming and crying his name so he could sink his fangs into the curve of her neck, so he could feel hers sink into him.

The idea gave him an unexpected thrill, he'd claim her, but she had said she would claim him, set her mark into his flesh and dear Gods did that sound sexy, hot, like something he really, badly wanted.

He couldn't deny he had his kinky side, the number of women he'd slept with had pretty much assured he'd get to try things, but he'd never had a woman take him, overpower him, hadn't even entertained the idea it was possible. But he couldn't break from Emzadis hold, maybe it was a lack of will, but when he tore his lips from hers she drug him in more, scraped her teeth over his neck and sucked his earlobe between her lips.

His eyes closed, pleasure just rolling through him as she tightened that leg around his hip and ground against him, growled again against his ear sending a shiver through him straight between his damn legs so strong he had to clench his teeth and fist his hands in her clothes and hair to keep control of himself.

"Am I distracting you blue eyes?" She whispered and he growled at her, felt her shudder, his eyes rolled back at the strong waft of the scent of her arousal and that was it, he was done.

His magic flared so hard and fast the people who had been too close were electrocuted unconscious and the clap of thunder left in the wake of his teleport shattered the windows.

It wouldn't be until much, much later, after spending the day mostly making out and talking, getting to know each other better, that Laxus would realize something that had him laughing in delight all over again right before she slid over him smirking and pinned his hands to the floor and catching his curved lips with hers.

The migraine he had been suffering from the moment he had walked into his office and seen all of the paperwork on his desk, was gone.

It had disappeared the moment she had decked him.

He wanted her though, and sitting on his couch in his living room with her straddling him, sitting on his legs was nice, he'd gotten the blouse and holy sweet Mavis see-through red lace bra off of her, delighted with the ample soft mounds he was currently sucking and fondling greedily.

It was like she had been cast in gold, her skin was a sun-kissed golden tan, her hair fairly glowed with everything from faint reds through to nearly white platinum streaks giving her a vividly golden mane of wavy tresses that hung down her back like gold silk. Ample breasts, curved hips, she was a walking wet dream, every young mans ultimate fantasy.

Ruby red lips and finger nails, even ink, the woman had a tattoo down her right side that rivaled his own.

Those nails were dragging through his spiky blonde hair while she trailed soft kisses over his forehead and down to his ear, whispering husky things in Boscan he knew bits and pieces of but his Boscan was rusty, and mostly swear words and insults because when Bickslow spoke Boscan that was usually what he said, normally right before or after Laxus had sent lightning into him for being an obnoxious ass.

He caught though she was talking about fucking, and he sure as hell was into that idea.

"Emi…I…need you…need to-" She pushed her finger to his lips and tipped his chin up so he wasn't speaking into her breast. For the first time that night he saw uncertainty on that beautiful face and it wiped the somewhat goofy "I'm about to fuck a gorgeous woman" smirk off his face.

"I am a female Dragon Slayer Laxus, a very…dominant one…by nature, mating with me…it's not like mating with a normal mage." She said softly, trailing her finger over his lip. He smiled faintly.

"It doesn't matter Emi, you're my mate…whatever we have to do…I'll do it." He said confidently, without any doubt or hesitation and she smiled, leaning in to press a soft kiss on his mouth, the delightful honey and citrus taste of her, like a mandarin orange dipped in honey was something he was certain, positive, was his favorite thing in the world now.

"You have to fight me."

She could have told him he needed to do a lot of things, tie her up, put on some leather pants, hell, he'd dress up in Lucys bunny outfit if it got him between her sun bronzed thighs and his fangs into her neck. She could have said she wanted to fuck him outside, he'd half expected it, his home was in the woods outside Magnolia, he even had a nearby clearing he practiced his lightning in because he wouldn't catch the forest on fire there.

Spank me, lick me, go down and eat her out, hell he was panting to do that anyway, but what she asked him to do had his jaw drop.

"The fuck did…did you say fight you?" He was sure he'd heard her wrong, she had to have said "You have to fuck me" and he'd just been staring so intently at the way her fangs glinted and winked at him from behind her full upper lip he'd misheard her.

"Yes, fight me, beat me, pin me to the ground and get your dick into me before I get free…and once we start…I'll be trying…hard…to kill you. It's…it's how dragons work, females can only accept a powerful male dragon, if you weren't a dragon slayer, I could just pin you to the ground and ride you blind "she smiled faintly, her fiery eyes promising that was definitely something she meant to try. "But to claim me, once you make your intention known, my inner dragon will take over and you have to pin me to the ground and start fucking me as fast as you can or I will kill you…if you can't, or if I pin you and start fucking you…our mating wont take…and we both die…"

Laxus stared at her. "You're serious."

"Very." She replied.

He smirked, narrowing his eyes. "That's how I claim you…"

She nodded, her own eyes starting that darkening they did, he was going to find that intensely sexy until the day he died he just knew it.

"Then lets get outside, there's a field about a quarter mile north of the house, I practice there, good amount of space…" he paused, looking at her

"If I have to fight you to claim you…what do you have to do to claim me?" He asked.

She smiled. "Pin you to the ground and ride you till you can't walk."

He growled at her…holy fuck he was in love. seriously, his heart on a plate in front of her, stick a fork in him he was done, woman of his fucking dreams…literally and figuratively.

"See you at the field." She smiled and slid from his lap, snatching her blouse from the floor and pulling it over her head before snapping her red lacy bra at him so it hit him in the face right as she went out the door.

He blinked, pulled his jaw off the floor and with a stupidly eager cackle, raced after her.

She took a spot out in the field and Laxus drew a breath.

"Emzadi Pradesh…I'm gonna claim that blonde ass of yours." He called and he saw her smile, heard her growl, gods her fucking LOVED that sound and in a flash he was behind her throwing his arms around her but he had to back off immediately as heat radiated off of her that probably would have melted fucking lead.

Her hair moved and when she turned he knew, instinctively, that when her blazing red eyes reached him if he was still this close he was a dead man. So he rolled, zapped himself back to the edge of the field and started thinking.

Ok, she's so hot to the touch he might just as well be…Holy fuck she could call down beams of sunlight that vaporized trees…ok, good to stay ahead of that and on the move clearly.

She was coming at him then and he realized what he needed to do and hoped he could get it done before she hurt him.

In a crack of lightning he was behind her again and he called down more and struck her, clenching his teeth as he did, smiling faintly when he watched her body take his lightning, her back arching, convulsing and she went to her knees stunned. An arm around her waist he teleported and came out of it right on the edge of the lake beside his house, dunking them both in the cool water and praying as he did this would work, because if it didn't, both of them soaked, he couldn't risk zapping her again.

Before she could recover he had her drug to the grass, skirt shoved up and panties torn off, wrapped a leg over his hip and was more than ready to go himself, he'd been damn well hard as rock most of the fucking day.

Freeing himself as she was blinking and regaining her senses he thrust into her and yanked her to him, sealing his mouth over hers as she groaned at the harsh abrupt invasion.

Laxus almost came right then, she was hot, soaking wet with desire and so incredibly, just bone melting tight on him he almost cried, fucking cried, in fact, maybe he damn well did because sweet Mavis Vermillion he'd never felt anything so good as when he started to thrust into that searing hot channel between her legs.

Her other leg joined the first and she threw her head back, ripping her mouth from his, thrusting her chest up and he groaned seeing the red blouse soaked and clinging to those glorious breasts that were now starting to bounce with the force of his thrusts.

She was up on her elbows, head back, breasts in his face, legs wrapped around his hips as he plowed into her and Laxus' dragon took over, he felt his arms push scales to the surface of his skin and gripped her hips, starting to just hammer into her and she just encouraged him.

"Yes! (pant) Oh yes,(moan) finally a man I can FEEL between my legs!(growl) Harder! Damn you show me you're a fucking dragon!" She snarled at him and he bared his teeth at her, sweat running down his back, his body starting to strain with exertion and he was just dumb founded. Sex wasn't work for him, he rarely broke a sweat when he fucked.

Laxus was a damn God in bed, women shrieked and begged him for the mercy of the Earthland moving orgasms he blessed them with, he was a Gods damned master with his cock.

He'd gotten women to cum without taking a stitch of their clothing off, could go for hours, days probably if he tried and wouldn't get bored.

But this, Emzadi, her heels were digging into his ass and she was baring long glistening white fangs at him and he was driving into her so hard he would have shattered a normal womans pelvis and broken her back.

He hadn't thought that was even possible. He was a brute, the other slayers used him as a ruler to measure from, he could fucking bench 900lbs, leg press 1400, deliver enough lightning to something to vaporize it…kind of like she'd done to that tree…

"Fuck me my dragon…my mate!..." She panted and as he shifted his hold on her, changed his angle to get that much deeper and grit his teeth he let go of his control and hit her with all he had, driving his magic through his body, plowing into her while lightning danced along his skin and yes right up his damn cock into her too.

"Fucking hell…you…feel So. Fucking. GOOD!" He ground out with his thrusts and she roared and he felt her body clamp down on him and he lunged forward as she was ripping him over the edge with her, his teeth sinking into the searing golden skin of her neck, her blood flowing into his mouth like molten lava on his tongue but he drank it in, pushing his magic into her, his lightning dancing around them crackling over the surface of the water, scorching them in places where their wet clothes clung to their sweaty skin.

When they finished, and slumped to the ground she wouldn't let him move, arms and legs wrapped around him as he slowly ran his tongue over the spot where he'd set his mark, smiling as he saw it starting to fill.

He was laying on top of her and she was fine, breathing, not whimpering he was crushing or suffocating her…shit she was perfect.

"My turn." She purred and Laxus' eyes flew wide as he was flung to his back, slammed so hard to the ground his teeth rattled and he saw stars for a moment while his pants were removed the rest of the way, his shirt torn from his chest and Emzadis nails were drug down his chest from his collar bone to his hips sending shivers and shudders all through every nerve ending before she mounted him and impaled herself on his rapidly hardening cock, bracing her hands on his shoulder and smiling down at him with a sultry look so wicked his mouth fell open in awe.

He'd honestly thought he held the corner market on those looks but no…he'd just seen it on a gorgeous woman…HIS gorgeous woman, and when he'd hardened to her satisfaction, he was suddenly, rapidly, shown that her toned legs weren't just nice to look at, he was going to have bruises…to the bone from her clamping those legs on his hips and when she came down her eyes would narrow and her walls would grip harder around him and he realized in this intense, glorious epiphany right there, she was controlling that, was undulating the grip of her inner walls around his cock and if he hadn't been mating with her she would have ruined him for any other woman for all time, period, the end anyway because holy fuck he had never felt or imagined feeling anything so intense.

Laxus Dreyar, Thunder God, the master of all arts cock related, was having his world rocked.

All he could do was brace himself, meet her thrusts when his brain was capable of delivering messages to his body other than "Holy fucking hell that feels good!" and try to remember to breath and blink. All blood had officially left his brain and gone to his cock though, he really had little to work with until Emzadi chose to finish him off.

For her part, Emzadi was in her glory, beyond elated her mate had managed to get past her dragons defenses and claim her, she'd been very eager to get the clothes off his body so she could admire it, she'd known he'd be magnificent and she certainly hadn't been disappointed at all.

Thick heavy muscle conditioned to rock hardness under smooth skin and deep tribal ink curling on it, his stormy eyes had turned orange as he'd taken her, reverted to their sexy stormy sky blue and now were a swirling mixture of orange and gray and blue, like clouds over a sunset.

He'd made her feel so much as he'd taken her, more than any man ever had, and now watching him carefully, she would give him every bit as good as he'd given her.

She rode him relentlessly, swirling her hips and changing her angles, grinding into him until finally his body started going taught and she slid forward, teeth scraping his neck "Cum for me my mate." She purred and that sound alone took him, threw him into bliss, his back arching he thrust up into her and filled her with his seed, her body clamping down on him and milking out all he had as she came too, teeth deep in his flesh, his blood flowing into her mouth and bathing her tongue as she pushed her magic into his body. Finally collapsing after the heat of her cauterized the wound.

Lazy orange eyes watched her name appear in draconic, the symbol of the sun behind it bold and brilliant in his skin and she purred in his arms as he held her, ragged panting, chest heaving for the air she'd driven out of him.

"Fuck…that purr…Gods I love that…" He chuckled and she grinned down at him "You have to earn it…and I'll purr all over you, purr while I take this "she said smoothly, reaching down to grasp his now mostly soft member and made him gasp "in my mouth and suck you until your eyes roll back and you fall to your knees."

Laxus gaped at her…yep…he was in fucking love.


	19. Chapter 18

Sooo...life is starting to slow down again...slightly...for both writers...possibly? One was moving, the other was dealing with family emergencies, and a close friend going through surgery...so...yea, life can slow down anytime now and we'd be happy...anyways, so sorry for the delay in updates, here's a decent size chapter, a good chunk of things happen, hope you like! And please remember to read and review!

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Bickslow was stunned, he'd stood gaping until Levy had come up and, smiled, pushed his mouth shut with a finger under his chin, while Gajeel tugged on his arm and made him walk back to their table.

"Emi….holy shit….Emzadi and…my best fucking friend…Laxus is a damn ass though….total player! I mean I love him like a brother but…." He was stammering and Kaleb and Cobra were still wiping tears from their eyes from laughing so hard at the guilds overall reaction to their stoic glowering future leader getting his ass punched into a wall by a woman, then him walking up and proceeding to make out with her right in front of everyone.

Kaleb knew their sister just as well, maybe better than Bickslow did, Emi could handle Laxus Dreyar, in fact she'd been just delighted to see him stalking toward her glaring with electricity rolling over his body and snaking along the floor. Her thoughts had been centered on the elated realization that the large Dragon Slayer stalking toward her might actually be able to beat her in combat and become her mate.

As soon as Laxus had started talking, told her she was his mate, she'd been sold on the idea, thrilled, excited, eager to take him on and praying he could handle her. If anything, between the two blonde slayers, Laxus was probably the one who should have worried, Emzadi was a powerhouse, Kaleb had been the only one in the guild aside from Cristoff who could spar with her without risking severe injuries.

She trained relentlessly, and her solar magic was intense and destructive, she made Natsus fire look like a cute little campfire when she called the suns heat and light down from the sky. She had once burned holes in the ocean, sent down huge columns of sunfire into it and vaporized the water, hundreds of thousands of gallons of it suddenly turned to steam so she could capsize a boat trying to flee with dark mages that had stolen relics from a church.

She'd more than capsized the 70 foot boat, she'd made it fall into the hole she made then the ocean had crashed into the gap and crushed it, killed all but one of the mages and they'd had to get Beck to send dolphins down to retrieve the relics on the bottom of the sea and recover the last living mage before he drowned.

That was Emzadi, so Bickslows complaints about Natsu being destructive were almost comical since Emi had always had just as much if not more trouble containing her destructive potential and his worried about Laxus? As far as Kaleb was concerned Emi had landed a good strong mate, Laxus was lecherous, but so was Emi. He might have been a player but so had Emi, and now their bodies would only crave each other, only react to each other, so their powerful sex drives? A good match in Kalebs opinion.

"Who do you think will be walking funny when they come back to the guild?" Cobra asked out loud, drawing Bickslows horrified look on purpose.

Kaleb smirked "Both of them."

"I say Laxus fairs worse, he's never met his match before, I'm betting he looks more beat than Emi when they come back." Cobra said firmly.

"You serious? Laxus took three women to his room one night on a mission I was on with you guys, you remember the one outside Clover Town? All those girls all over Hibiki he stole right off the little shit with one fucking smile. Next day he came down bright and early, ate breakfast and we were back to work like he hadn't spent the whole night fucking those women and he did, I was in the room next to him and fuck were they loud. Naw, my money is on Emzadi being wiped out by the Thunder God." Gajeel said firmly.

"200 jewel says Laxus is the beat one." Cobra said smiling.

"I'll take that bet, my moneys on Emi going down." Gajeel returned narrowing his eyes, he had faith in Fairy Tails future leader.

"I agree with Gajeel, I'll bet on Emi being worn down." Freed said then and it snowballed, people overhearing them standing and coming to the table to lay down their jewel until Cana stepped in to organize it and with Kalebs help started working up the odds based on who was getting the most bets toward being the one to emerge in better shape.

Bickslow gaped and blinked for a while as the guild, those conscious enough and not still passed out on the floor, debated whether his best friend or baby sister would return after mating stronger than the other.

Sting and Rogue were both watching in amazement. Sting grinning, Rogue just looking shocked at their guildmates behavior.

"Ya know…I'm betting on that gorgeous blonde, she did punch Thunderhead into a wall…" Sting said.

Rogue gave him a tired look. "You always side with the pretty women." He observed.

Sting grinned. "Well…yeah I mean…why wouldn't I?" He stood and headed to the table where the bets were being placed and Rogue sighed, fighting the urge to join him for about 30 seconds before he decided to show faith in the Lightning Dragon Slayer that had defeated an entire dark guild by himself during the games and was slated to become Fairy Tails next master.

"No way man! Thunderheads gonna be whipped when he comes back! You can't be serious! What man wouldn't follow that gorgeous blonde around like a puppy?" Sting laughed at him when he handed his jewel over to Cana and placed his bet.

"The bet isn't whether or not he'll be "whipped" Sting, it's about which one of then returns in better condition after however long they spend mating. You do know claiming a female dragon slayer requires a male dragon slayer fight her and defeat her in combat where her dragon soul takes over and tries to kill him right? I believe Laxus is the stronger combatant, he trains every day, I've even seen him jogging with Bickslow and Gajeel a few times when I've been heading out for my own training." Rogue said confidently.

"Did you not see her send his ass into the wall over there?! Look at that hole! And she was climbing him like a tree, kissing him right back, grabbed his ass bold as brass right in front of everyone Rogue! That woman's gonna fuck him blind! That leg she wrapped around him looked like it could crush a tree, no lie." Sting said and Rogue waved a hand dismissing it all.

"Laxus can bench over 900lbs Sting, I've seen him in the guild gym, you'd know if you ever bothered to get up before noon to start your training." Rogue said airily and Sting snorted.

"Whatever, the Sun Goddess is who my moneys on, I am so laughing at you when she strolls in here with Thunderhead staggering on the end of a short leash."

Rogue rolled his eyes and headed to the bar, he needed a drink.

Sting frowned. "Hey! Don't roll your eyes at me!" He was starting toward Rogue but tripped over a groaning Natsu who was just sitting up after being knocked down by some blonde in red then electrocuted. Stings foot to his groin did not make him happy. "Fuck! Sting! You shit, I gotta remind you whose the stronger one again huh?" He snarled and Sting snapped his head around glaring at Natsu.

"Oh no, I know I am, I don't need to be reminded pinky!" He growled and Natsu leapt on him. Rogue hurried out of range, taking refuge by the bar as Gray, just starting to move again, had the two snarling biting punching dragon slayers roll right over him and instantly pissed off started throwing his own punches and the guild digressed back into the brawl it had been enjoying before Laxus had come downstairs.

The Thunder God had shattered all the windows and thrown tables around with his departure, they might as well make the most of the destruction already in place right?

Mira was unfazed, bringing Rogue a large mug of ale and encouraging him to enjoy it from her side of the bar so the brawl didn't disturb him.

It lasted nearly half an hour before he watched Wendy stop by the end of the bar, having emerged from the hallway that led to the back of the guild with Cristoff next to her and then, the large raven haired Dragon Slayer who narrowed his eyes and searched the mass of fighting people.

He spotted his target and Rogue watched with a faint smile as the Lunar slayer tossed people through the air like ragdolls, waded through the mess and put anyone he couldn't toss aside to sleep before grabbing the Fire slayer by his belt and lifting him out of the worst of the fighting, tossing the smaller man over his shoulder, his warning snarl stilling the struggling kicking and punching Natsu instantly. He carried the smaller slayer past Lucy, who had joined Wendy at the end of the bar, and Wendy.

"Great practice ladies…if you'll excuse me, I need to remind my mate of what self control is." He said darkly as he strode past, a wide eyed red faced Natsu now biting his lip and looking terrified, excited and aroused all at once.

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Carrying the limp form of his mate over his shoulder, Cristoff left the hall quickly and lunar shifted to the balcony outside of the room they were still staying in. When Lucy had gone in to get drinks for them and didn't come right back out, Cristoff had originally thought that she had just been distracted by Natsu. So when what was supposed to have been a five to minute errand, tops, stretched out to half an hour then an hour, he had paused the training to find out what had happened.

To find his mate at the center of the mess of bodies in the guild brawl, he had wanted to do a massive facepalm and instead decided the fastest way to end the brawl was to extract his mate from it directly. Striding through the balcony doors and slamming them closed behind them, mentally cursing, Cristoff was quick to toss Natsu onto the bed before tearing his own shirt off over his head. He could smell the heady mix of anticipation, arousal, and nerves pumping off of his mate.

"Cristoff-"

"I don't want to hear it Natsu. I told you, you even promised! That you wouldn't get into any fights while I was training with Wendy and Lucy! Now take your top off." Cristoff snapped, narrowing his eyes at his mate who had scooted to the edge of the bed.

"But I-"Natsu began, even as he shrugged out off his open vest, letting it pool around his hips.

"And what did I say would happen if you didn't keep that promise?" Cristoff interrupted, shifting from one foot to another as he toed his boots off, kicking them to the side so he wouldn't trip on them.

"That you'd discipline me. And I get that. But dammit Cristoff, I was pulled into the first fight by Gajeel, and the second one by Sting stepping on my nuts after getting electrocuted by Spark Plug!" Natsu snarled, shoving to his feet, clenching his hands at his sides.

Smirking slightly, Cristoff stalked towards him, his smirk turning into a grin when Natsu yelped and scrambled back across the bed. "I'll have a conversation with them later. Right now, this is between you and I. You promised that you wouldn't be a part of any fight that took place in the guild today. Low and behold, what do I find when I come back in from training with Wendy? You. In the middle of a guild brawl. After promising that you wouldn't be a part of it."

Gulping, Natsu backed up further, knowing the moment Cristoff got his hands on him, there would be no way to escape. When Cristoff suddenly lunged at him, Natsu yelped loudly before turning and bolting for the door, scrambling with the handle that he hadn't realized had been locked before they had left for the guild when he found himself pinned to the door. Hard.

The scrape of sharp teeth over the right side of his neck had him shivering, trembling even as a moan tore free from his throat. Large hands gripping his wrists pulled his arms up to either side of his head, even as Cristoffs large body pressed against him tightly.

"Obviously we need to work on your self control a bit more love, 'cause you still can't tell others no when it comes to a fight in the guild, or at least pulling it outside. So now, we'll work on that. I'll drive you to the edge...pull you back...drive you there again, and this'll happen a number of times before I let you cum...and if you cum before I say you can, or do what I expressly tell you not to do, you won't get anything from me for a week. At the end of that week, we'll try again. If it happens again, it'll be two weeks, then three, then four, then more. Do you understand?" Cristoff murmured in a low purr against Natsu's ear, smiling wickedly against his mates warm skin at the feeling of him trembling.

Gulping, Natsu could only stutter. "S-so in-in other words, n-no se-self control-"

"Hmmmhmm, no self control means no sex. And the longer you don't learn self-control, the longer we go with no sex."

"But why would you do that to us?" Natsu whined, thumping his head against the door in resignation.

"Because if you don't have self control, then obviously I'm not doing something right, so I'm taking responsibility for this as well." Cristuff murmured in a soothing manner, tracing just his fingers over the exposed skin of Natus's arms.

"But you're not the one with questionable self-control!"

"No I'm not, but I took on the challenge to help you with it...what kind of mate would I be if I failed in that? Shall we begin lesson one?" When he felt Natsu pause before giving a barely there nod, Cristoff was quick to pull him away from the door, turning him to the foot of the bed and lifting his hands to the bed posts. "Keep your hands there, I'll be right back." Once again, Natsu nodded, and Cristoff was quick to cross the room to a dresser, pulling out what was needed. Turning back, he saw Natsu had listened, and he had to fight his own urge to growl at the sight of his mates bare back, muscles bunching under lightly tanned skin.

Shaking his head hard, he hurried back over, and without a word, restrained one hand to the bed post with one leather belt before hurrying to the other side and repeating the process with a second leather belt.

"Here's the exercise this time around Natsu. I'm going to do everything I can to drive you to cum, push you to lose control. Your job is to remain in control. Part of this exercise is don't let those belts get turned to ash. I'll allow singed, because you do run hotter than most, but the moment your hands come free from those restraints because the belts broke from you turning them ash, and the exercise will be over. And you'll get nothing for a week. Do you understand?"

Gulping, his eyes filled with worry and arousal, Natsu nodded. "Good, now close your eyes." Taking a deep breath, Natsu closed his eyes, mentally bracing himself.

The feel of Cristoffs fingers trailing over him in a teasing manner had Natsu biting back a groan, feeling Cristoff trigger his magic, letting it drift over him, triggering pleasure zones, even as Cristoff used his strength to rip Natsu's pants away.

Nails could be felt dragging over his back, his hips, across the inside of his thighs, causing him to throw his head back with a hissing moan. The feel of a hand gripping his head and tilting it to the side had him trying to brace, but there was no way to do so against the dragon lust that roared through him the moment Cristoff latched onto the mating mark. A roar of pleasure tore from Natsu as his back arched, fingers digging hard into the bed post, and he fought to keep the heat building up in him under control.

Through the pleasure he could hear Cristoff growling, even as his mate pressed hard against him, his own excitement obvious from the hard length pressing against his ass, and the tight grip that he was certain would be leaving bruises on his hips.

When Cristoff tore himself away from Natsu, he went limp, panting, listening as Cristoff walked across the room. Dear gods...and this was just the beginning of this first lesson. It was going to be a long night.

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Cristoff drew a slow breath, letting his fingers press into Natsus skin along the inside of his thigh, rubbing slow circles upward toward his center, feeling him shudder and hiss a breath through his teeth. Over an hour, he'd been working his mates body for over an hour and his own was aching for release.

He hadn't been kidding about sharing in this punishment, the bond let him share some of what Natsu experienced, he knew how bad the Fire Slayer was suffering now to hold onto his control but so far, not so much as a singe to the leather belts. There were spots in the bed post where his fingers had crushed some of the hard wood in spite of enchantments protecting it, but he'd been specific about what Natsu had to control and damage to the post hadn't been something he'd mentioned. He'd upped the difficulty three times now, worked Natsus length with his hands even and Natsu remained solid, panting, shaking, eyes haggard, but no singe to leather, no loss of control.

He leaned in against Natsu again, feeling his mate shudder as his cool skin met Natsus heated flesh "Tell me what you want love…" He purred and felt Natsu groan as much as heard him, the scent of his arousal was heavy, sweat shined on every inch of his skin and his breathing was ragged, chest heaving.

"I want to...to cum...please…" He begged and Cristoff felt himself aching to satisfy his mate, almost painfully needing to. He growled in Natsus ear and a new shudder ran through the smaller slayer followed by a gasp as Cristoffs hand slapped into a firm ass cheek. Cristoff snarled when Natsu mewled as his palm collided again with Natsus ass.

"You like that…" Cristoff whispered, leaning against Natsu again.

"Yes! Oh Gods…" Natsu breathed. Pain and pleasure, it was almost more than the fire slayer could bear, too good, too perfect, Cristoffs hand sharp on his flesh stung and felt so amazing, sharpened every one of Natsus senses, brought every nerve to life. His legs were kicked apart and Cristoffs rumbling growl shuddered through Natsu.

"You'd better hold onto the bed my mate…I'm not going to be gentle…" Those snarled words were his only warning before Cristoffs thick length slammed into him and Natsu half screamed half whimpered as he clutched the bed posts for all he was worth, Cristoffs next thrust lifting his feet off the floor until he got himself better braced.

Pain married with pleasure as the bigger slayer hammered into him and Natsu was gasping, moaning, whimpering with each thrust, finally rocking himself, bracing himself enough he could meet his mates powerful movements. He ached for release, wanted so badly to let go of the the hold he had on his magic, on his whole being so he could just drown in the minted bliss that was his mate.

No fight had ever been as good as this, he'd never felt so satisfied, so pleasured and hungry for anything like he was for Cristoffs tall powerful body, skilled confident touch, burning mint flavored kisses. As good as a brawl was he couldn't last a week without this, couldn't put his mate through that and he was sure Cristoff felt the same aching need he did.

"Please…" He gasped out and Cristoff leaned over him pulling him hard against him jerking his feet off the ground again as he sank in deep and lips played over his ear. "Will you fight with anyone, let yourself get involved in a fight after promising you wouldn't to me again?" Cristoff asked.

"No! Gods no….please, Cris…." Natsu whimpered and Cristoff drew a shuddering breath of his own, Natsus body was flexing around him, hungry, and he needed it as much as Natsu did, almost two hours of play, teasing and the leather belts were still fine.

"Then cum for me…" Cristoff purred, moving his hips again in a hard fast rhythm his hand closing over Natsus rigid dripping erection and working the length mercilessly as Natsu shouted out his name over and over through several bone jarring thrusts before he came and Cristoff grunted, teeth digging into Natsus shoulder muffling his own cry of release.

Moments passed, harsh breaths echoing through the room, as Cristoff braced his weight on one hand against the bed post so he wouldn't cause harm to Natsu by collapsing on him. Gritting his teeth, Cristoff eased himself away from Natsu, trying to ignore the twitch his still rampant desire was ready to give another round of as Natsu whimpered, feeling Cristoff ease from his body. Still panting, Cristoff reached up to release the leather belts that weren't even singed, and he couldn't help but smile in pride. He was quick to release Natsu's other hand, catching him as he went limp, arms tight around him, before carefully easing him to the bed.

Brushing his hand through the sweat slick pink bangs, Cristoff smiled further, kneeling down before Natsu, cupping his face between gentle hands. He was quick to tap his magic, check to make sure there was no actual harm done from how roughly he had taken his mate. The last thing he wanted to do was actually hurt him. His quick scan showed that nothing was torn, no actual lingering pain beyond the soreness of having been taken so thoroughly.

"I'm so proud of you love, you did wonderfully, didn't even sing the belts." Cristoff praised softly, brushing a thumb under Natsus still dazed eyes.

"I-I didn't?" Natsu murmured, blinking into midnight eyes.

"Nope. And there was something I wanted to ask you, and if you're willing to try it, lets just say you'll be very sore in the morning, because it'd make me so very happy. " Cristoff purred, leaning forward to nuzzle Natsu, his rumbling purr drawing another needy whimper from from him.

"W-what's that?" Natsu gasped, his head tilting to the side, shivering at the renewed feeling of fangs scraping his skin.

"I want you to wear something, that could be worn under your scarf, hidden from prying eyes if you wanted." Cristoff explained, straightening to reach into his nightstand, pulling out a thin square box, before turning back to Natsu and holding it out to him.

Reaching out with trembling hands, Natsu took the box, carefully flipping it open, eyes widening at the solid metal collar necklace shaped into a dragon with a deep blue sapphire at its center. There was no question that it was a masculine piece, and very important as well.

"Wh-what is this?" Natsu stammered, gaze riveted to the gleaming silver.

"It's the pendant that Nurem gave me when I was growing up. She said it was something to give to my mate, as a way of a promise for more, as well as a way to help us communicate. For us it would double as a collar for you, a reminder to you to control yourself and your magic. It has been spelled to withstand any form of possible damage. I don't wear it because once it's on, it can never be removed. It was designed with my mate and full trust between us, in mind." Cristoff explained softly, kneeling once more, lightly gripping Natsu's forearms.

Blinking as the sapphire seemed to wink at him, Natsu lifted his gaze, knowing that this was not a step to be taken lightly. Meeting midnight blue eyes with his own, Natsu took a moment, thinking about what he was feeling, waiting to see if he would feel any form of fear or denial.

But there was nothing. Nothing beyond warmth and acceptance. Taking a deep breath, he followed his instincts, and lifted the collar out, handing it to Cristoff.

"I think you should be the one to put it on me, don't you?" Natsu whispered with a small smile. The smile that lit up Cristoff's face had Natsu's heart pounding and he held still in pride as Cristoff reached forward to latch the collar into place, a rush of power flowing over them as the magic laced into the collar was triggered, leaving Natsu breathless with the feeling of warmth that flowed through him.

Panting from the slight rush, watching in awe as Cristoff's face flushed with happiness, Natsu bit his lower lip before reaching out, and before he could be stopped, looped the scarf that he had discarded when he had shrugged off his vest earlier, around Cristoff, smiling gently at the look of shock. Cristoff knew the significance of the scarf for Natsu.

"Only for my mate." Natsu said softly with a smile. The following tackle had Natsu moaning as Cristoff kissed him senseless.

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"Does Natsu seem to be walking funny? I think he is…" Bickslow smirked watching Natsu and Cristoff come into the guild hall and seeing Natsu sit a little gingerly on the bench beside Cristoff. Gajeel shrugged unconcerned with the comings and goings of Natsu, he would have torn him apart over the brawl he had instigated if Natsu were his mate, if Cristoff set a little reminder into his impulsive mate to help him to remember to behave, well, the Lunar slayer could heal it. If Natsu was in any sort of discomfort today it was because Cristoff was choosing to keep him that way.

Dom to Dom, he could only respect that. Natsu was still smiling, and Cristoff let him sit while he went and got them drinks and ordered their lunch. Gajeel eyed Bix. Lucy had come into the hall and Levy slid to her feet hurrying over to catch her friend, leaving Gajeel and Bix alone at their table. Evergreen had gone over to sit with Elfman and Freed was helping Mira. Laxus was still with Emi and Kaleb and Cobra had taken a job and left that morning.

Then it dawned on him.

Spinning around in shock, Gajeel looked after Cristoff, seeing the familiar flutter of a white dragon scale scarf draped around Cristoff's shoulders. Turning back to Natsu, he found a solid metal collar formed into a dragon in flight with a center sapphire around Natsu's neck in place of the scarf.

Natsu never went anywhere without his scarf. Ever. It was the last thing Igneel had left to him.

Reaching out to smack Bix's shoulder, Bix was quick to turn with a curse and wince, before his own jaw dropped at the sight of Natsu's new neck piece. Shifting his gaze to his brother, Bix saw the scarfs new location and felt what was left of his thoughts drain from his ears.

'Holy crap...Gajeel...that collar was made by Nurem herself...that sapphire was created from one of her own scales...' Bix explained, even his mental voice full of awe.

The collar was like a homing beacon for Cristoff, no matter where Natsu was, Cristoff would be able to reach him, it enabled his lunar shift ability to reach into places not touched by moonlight and teleport there if Natsu was there. No matter where, no matter what was in the way, Cristoff would be able to reach that collar and it couldn't be removed, protected Natsu, as surely as the scarf Igneel had given him was meant to.

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Laxus had himself well braced, it was a good thing too because his sexy mate hadn't been kidding with him, his head fell back as another shudder ran through him, long nails biting into his ass as she held him, kneeling before him in his large shower, his impressive length disappearing past ruby red lips, orange fiery eyes locking with his through sooty lashes when he could manage to look down at her.

Three days and now nearly through a third night, he knew he hadn't slept much but Emi was just…insatiable. His stamina had been pushed to its limits, his body was taxed but dear blessed Gods it was like all of his best wet dreams rolled up into one lust hazed fantasy except it was fucking real.

He had the most gorgeous woman he'd ever laid eyes on sucking him until, like she'd warned, his legs got weak but he'd be damned if he'd give her the satisfaction of bringing him down, no woman had ever driven him to the point his body failed him. Yes, Emzadi had now ridden him until he damn near passed out with his orgasm, but shit, having all that blood rapidly re-enter his system had been a shock, seriously, almost every drop had gone to his groin and he'd been about brain dead for a bit.

He'd done his share though, driven out of his mind by her growls and purrs coupled with the fact she only occasionally gave him control, he usually had to fucking win it from her and she was not a small woman and far from weak. If he'd ever imagined a woman perfect for him, even he could not have come up with better than her.

She liked his lewd comments, made plenty herself, was sarcastic, confident, and in his entire life, no woman had ever made him feel like more of a man.

His end was racing toward him as her nails played wickedly along the underside of his balls and she dove back down his length purring and meeting his eyes boldly he just came undone and felt her seal her lips more tightly around him, a firm hand grip the base of him while she worked him harder.

"F….Fuck! Emi!...nngh!" He came and her purr turned into a growl as she took all he had, he felt her swallow every bit, her tongue rasping along his length and over the head coaxing out every drop until he was leaning heavily against the smooth river rock wall of his shower, grateful his arms were still fully functioning because his fucking legs were downright trembling.

Emzadi grinned up at him, her hands working up and down his thighs then, firmly kneading the fatigued muscles there. Gods help him if she wasn't done, he was almost praying she was ready to just cuddle and have a nap because he sure as hell needed to recover some semblance of the strength she'd fucked right out of him.

No complaints, he was NOT complaining about that, oh hells no, he was praising every deity and sub deity for blessing him with a mate like her, if anything looking forward to building up his stamina more, so they could really dig into each other even harder. Fucking Bickslow….holy shit he wished he'd met her sooner even, damn he was mated to his best friends little sister now…Bickslow was probably losing it.

Three of his siblings mated into Fairy Tail now, he knew Cristoff taking Natsu had about made the Seith drink himself into a stupor.

"Fucking hell Laxus that flaming loud mouth is my BROTHER-in-law, or will be, fuck, I'm going to be related to Natsu fucking Dragneel….I always thought Cris of all my brothers would settle down with some cute little woman and punch out like 15 kids or something, holy shit…Natsu! I can't even deal with it…" He'd groaned as they had sat in Laxus' living room killing off a fifth case of beer and binge watching Firefly.

"Emi and Xally, they won't let me down, fucking Farron…Vander I won't hold my breath on, that sneaky bastard's never going to settle down, but my sisters, I just know they're gonna end up with nice guys ya know? Emi especially because she's such a strong girl, soft natured guys tend to fall for her hard….yeah, Emi and Xally…" He'd said.

Well, the kids part Laxus wouldn't mind one bit, when he imagined himself having a family it was always a big one, he was the fucking Thunder God, if the woman wasn't on damn good birth control and he….oh shit…

Emzadis fingers were doing wonders restoring feeling to his legs and he looked down at her, chest warming as she stood and slid her arms around him, pressing her tall curvy body against his.

"What's the look of worry for my Thunder God?" She asked, kissing his lips softly then kissing her way to his jaw. He closed his eyes. Fuck it, no sense beating around the bush.

"You on birth control Emi?" He asked.

She smirked pulling back her orange eyes dancing. "I'm a healthy Boscan woman with strong needs Laxus…of course I am. I'd planned to drag something that looked like it could survive my brand of fun out of that brawl to my hotel room…But now I have you….you can actually keep up with me..and I want something more now…" She purred and Laxus braced himself taking quick stock, ok, she was on birth control, so no immediate baby watch, he'd want her off of it though, like…she wasn't taking more if he had his way…he was a greedy bastard and now that he had a gorgeous mate his dragon wanted to see her pregnant and carrying his babies. He agreed. Gramps would be deliriously happy.

His legs had feeling in them, and fuck the damn traitor his cock was already twitching to life at just the thought of another rough and tumble romp with Emi, yeah he could handle it…he might have a heart attack but it would be worth it…

"Anything Fire-eyes." He replied with confidence, he could handle it, damn it he was the Thunder God.

"I want you in bed…." She purred, and pulled him from the shower, they toweled themselves mostly dry then Emi pulled him into the bed room and shoved him onto the bed. He really couldn't resist her much at this point. The sun wasn't up yet but he knew it would be in a little while.

She crawled onto the bed and surprised him gathering up the blankets and pulling them over them, curling up against him and he gladly wrapped his arms around her, delighting in how wonderfully warm she was, better than a hot water bottle she felt so good against his chilled skin.

"Mmmm, I want some sleep..curled up with you my mate…Laxus...mmm" She purred and he smiled, burying his nose in her damp hair and relaxing into the soft mattress.

She felt so incredibly good…Gods…he was mated….and he was already head over heels for her too, saucy wicked woman that she was. He felt sleep rapidly taking him and smiled, to think he'd been lonely wishing Bickslow had more time for him just hours before this firefox had sent his ass through a wall….

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He was nervous. He didn't remember the last time he had been this nervous. He hadn't even been this scared, this nervous when he had left Archipelago on his own for the first time. That had been the first biggest step of his life.

And now he was about to take his next biggest step, and while he knew it was stupid to think that he'd be rejected, gods above he was still nervous. They were already mated. There was no way they would say no. Right?

Gulping hard, Bickslow paced in his best friends living room, hands shoved into his pocket, fidgeting with the lead weight that was weighing down his hand.

Had it only really been a week? A week since his little sister and his best friend, someone he saw like a brother, had returned to the guild, mated. That was something he had never expected to happen. He had been in hard denial at first, but he knew how dragon slayers and mating worked. He was a mate himself, he knew that slayers had no say in who their mate would be.

Now he had let himself into his best friends home, while he and his mate were sleeping, and was pacing, waiting for them to wake up. He didn't think it'd take too long, since Laxus was sensitive to when people came into his home, but as soon as he could smell who it was he'd groan, curse, and go about getting ready for the day.

Never mind the fact that it was shy of seven am.

Laxus was sure to beat the crap out of him later.

Hearing two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs, Bix turned with a strained smile, shrugging at the dual raised eyebrows he received. He watched as Emi paused on the stairs with Laxus right behind her, his strained smile easing slightly when Laxus leaned forward to brush a kiss against the crown of her head. He knew they were both trying to get a sense of what was bothering him, but since they couldn't read minds like Kaleb, or hear souls like Cobra, they were at a bit of a lost.

"Why, for the love of Mavis, are you here at this ungodly hour Bix?" Laxus sighed, stretching out on his couch, pulling Emi down with him to settle between his legs, her back to his front as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I-Well, you see, I'm -" Bix stuttered, lifting a hand to nervously run trembling fingers through his already crazy hair. He started pacing again, and didn't see the eyes that widened in surprise on him. Bickslow, the guild jokester, who was always so sure of himself, was a nervous wreck, worse then before he had claimed his soulmates.

"Spit it out Bix." Laxus huffed, nuzzling his face into Emi's hair, drawing in her scent to remain relaxed. A hand shot up a moment later to catch the small item that Bix yanked from his pocket and launched at his head, without pausing in his pacing. Blinking at the small black box in his hand, Laxus could only watch as Emi yanked it out of his hand with a gasp, flipping it open to show two bands; one a simple dully gleaming band with two stones set into it, a sapphire, and an orange topaz, while the other was more delicately designed, two flowers with vines creating the band, a sapphire at the center of one flower, and a black diamond at the center of the other.

"Holy shit..." Laxus breathed, staring at the rings before turning to his friend. "You-are you serious?" He didn't have to ask to know who the rings were meant for, but he hadn't been expecting this to happen anytime soon, especially considering the family that Bix came from.

He watched as Bix swallowed hard, before nodding.

"Fuck man...you're going to ask them to marry you?" Laxus asked softly, shifting Emi forward so he could stand up, placing himself in Bix's path so he'd stop pacing. Seeing the slight panic in his friends eyes, he was quick to grip his friends shoulders. "Dude, calm down, you've got nothing to worry about, you've got to know they'll say yes."

"But we're already mated! What if they don't feel like being married is needed?!" Bix yelped, throwing his hands up in a slight panic.

"Bix, man, stop! You'll do fine, just go to the guild, have lunch, maybe spar with Gajeel or something, work out the frustration, then go from there!" Laxus shook his friend hard, drawing the darting red gaze back to his own. As soon as he saw Bix focusing, Laxus started purposely taking slow deep breaths, sighing in relief mentally when Bix mirrored his actions.

Gulping hard and biting his lip, Bix met Laxus's eyes and nodded.

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The guild was as rowdy as ever.

When Bix paused on the threshold of the main hall, Laxus and Emi flanking him, it took him a moment to let his hearing adjust to the noise level, and he momentarily felt a pang of sympathy for the dragon slayers with their enhanced senses. He could only imagine how much louder it was for them, or how many more smells they would take in with how many people were currently brawling in the middle of the room.

He didn't have to look long to find Gajeel and Levy sitting with the rest of the Raijinshuu, Levy settled on Gajeels lap with an arm around her waist as she scribbled away on some paper, her nose buried in a book. He also didn't have to try hard to peek at their bond and find that her mental state was one that was focused, and currently muttering in various languages. Smiling slightly, and glancing at Laxus then Emi, he nodded, heading for the back of the guild, reaching out to Gajeel as he did so.

'Gaj? I could use some sparring, care to give me a hand?' Bix sent, keeping his mental voice calm, throwing a look back over his shoulder to meet Gajeels red gaze and seeing a nod in response. Without another word Bix ducked out of the guild and strode onto one of the training rings, running an experienced eye over the layout. Feeling Gajeel get closer, Bix was quick to move to the center of the ring, turning to face the door as it swung open.

Before Bix had a chance to brace himself, Gajeel charged him, immediately putting him on the defensive with a curse. The next half hour had them dodging and throwing punches, trying to ignore the arousal that was pumping through themselves as it eased into a prey and predator game, the two of them hurling insults, threats, and ultimately promises at each other until finally, FINALLY, Gajeel was able to trip Bix with a well placed iron rod, catching his feet and pouncing even as Bix rolled to his back.

Panting from the exertion, Bix met Gajeels crimson gaze and felt the nerves come back in a flood.

"What is it Bix?" He asked. "You've been acting funny the last couple of days." Gajeel stated, panting lightly, brows furrowed as he fought not to focus on how close they were pressed together with him straddling Bix's hips.

"You know I'm a prince….Archipelago has the same general customs as Bosco with a few minor differences, and….my father, he gets offers, lots of them, mostly for my older brothers or Cristoff since I've been in Fiore away from everything, but the pressure is still there see and I…" Bickslow swallowed, and Gajeel reached a hand down to grip Bixs thigh, rubbing his hand up and down firmly.

"What are you getting at babe?" Gajeel prompted, he sensed the nerves wafting off his mate, knew Levy had been noticing the nerves as well over the last number of days, but neither had pressed when they had asked Bix about it before.

"I...I know mating is deeper but because of my title...I need to marry, I...I'm asking you to marry me…"He said in a rush and Gajeel froze in shock.

"That's it? Shit I thought someone had died….fuck Bix, I'd be...honored. I….well...we need to ask the shrimp….shit...we should get some sort of ring….that shit means a lot to women…" Gajeels confidence faltered suddenly. Kaleb had actually approached him, asking him to re-enforce a ring he'd gotten for Cobra just before they had left on the job out near Sugarmoon Bay at a resort there. And seeing the collar on Natsu so many days before, it hadn't escaped him the importance or significance of it.

He was just fine going through whatever ceremony Bickslow wanted, they were mated, if Bickslow needed special things to happen because of his title and family, well, that was fine with Gajeel, whatever had to be done, but women, they liked their dresses, their special day...and holy Hell it hadn't even crossed his mind until that moment. Levy would probably very much like a wedding and damn it she deserved one, so did Bickslow.

"Yeah...actually...about that…"Bicklsow was saying.

Shifting his attention back to Bix, Gajeel felt his jaw drop at seeing a small black box being held up between them. Quickly shifting to his knees, Gajeel took the box, flipping it open, and felt his heart shoot into his throat. He saw the rings and knew that he needed to do the same. Swallowing the lump of emotions, Gajeel couldn't stop the smile he felt forming for the life of him.

Gajeel smiled down at his still pinned mate. "Damn, you beat me to it...I say you and I go do some shopping...asking me is one thing but Shrimp….I need to get rings for you both as well and we gotta do something special for her, we both gotta ask her…." Gajeel shook his head frowning.

"Come on…I have an idea...Laxus can write up some flier for you and I to take a "day job" so we have time to shop for the right set of rings or find a place that can maybe make 'em for us…." He said and pulling Bix to his feet with him, they hurried off back inside and headed upstairs, giving Levy a grin that made her relax and focus her attention back on chatting with Lucy.

When they came back down they made good on their exit and headed for the jewelry stores. Gajeel was the one with the natural talent once they were looking at rings. He could spot quality metals from a mile away and could stare down the most aggressive salespeople with ease.

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They were back.

It had taken a week of careful planning, and being sneaky around Levy, but they had been successful.

Barely.

There had been more than one occasion when they worried that Levy would catch on to what was happening because of how smart she is, but thankfully, Laxus and Emi had stepped up to help.

And as much as it had pained them to do so, they had even turned to Mira for assistance, swearing her to silence after waking her from her squeal induced faint. Shortly after, they realized they needed to pull Lucy in also to help distract Levy for the evening as Mira ever so cheerfully kicked everyone out, claiming that she was doing a thorough cleaning and anyone who stuck around would be roped into it was well. Needless to say, everyone disappeared rather quickly.

Now they were back at the guild, late at night, with Mira, Laxus, Emi, Bix and Gajeel gathered, eyeing the space, and with excited grins they set off to work. Bix shot up into the air on his totems, Mira following close behind after shifting into one of her demon forms, while Laxus gathered armfuls of candles, setting them up along the edges of the tables down the middle of the guild, leading from the doors. Emi was quick to follow behind lighting the candles with smokeless flame from her fingertips.

Taking a deep breath, Gajeel settled at the bar, watching Bix float through the rafters, draping vines of bright flowers over the hooks that had been placed by him months ago for lanterns or various decorations for different holidays. Smiling, he turned his attention back to the small pile of pure silver, pure iron, and the small gems of black diamonds, blue sapphires, and orange topaz. Throwing small pieces of the silver and ore into his mouth, biting through the metal like they were pieces of butter, moaning slightly at the pure taste that exploded over his tongue.

When Bix and Gajeel had been out combing the various jewelry stores, nothing had stood out to Gajeel as being perfect for either of his mates. It wasn't until Bix had made the off-hand comment about it being too bad that Gajeel couldn't make rings himself that Gajeel had had a eureka moment. Which led to Bix being pinned against the closest wall and being thoroughly kissed until they were both a panting mess, hands buried in each others hair, and Bix's eyes were unfocused, even as Gajeel's eyes shown with excitement.

From there they had stopped at a metal and gemstone store, where they personally picked out only the best metals that Gajeel could find, and the purest of gemstones. Now he gathered the metals in his hands and closing his eyes focused his magic into the metal itself. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but by the time he was done and his magic faded from his cupped hands, he had a light sheen of sweat on his skin and was surrounded by the others watching him in awe.

Sitting back, he opened his hands to show the matching silver and iron rings carefully shaped to show two dragons wrapped around each other, one with blue and black eyes, the other one with black and red eyes. He already knew the others had finished and have crowded around him, wanting to see what he had done.

"Sweet Mavis...Gaj...Babe...I..." Bix was stunned, seeing the rings. He had not known that Gajeel was capable of things like this.

"May I be of some assistance?" A quiet voice sounded behind the gathered mages, causing them to jolt, yelp, and spin around, finding Freed standing there with a gentle smile.

"Damn Freed, some warning next time!" Laxus breathed, leaning back against the bar.

"Forgive me. Considering there were three dragon slayers here, I figured you would have heard me approach since I had been down in the library doing some research. It would appear that I was wrong." Freed said smugly, his lips quirking slightly. He bit his lip to hold back the laugh that wanted to escape him at the snarls he received in return. "Now, as I said, perhaps I can be of some assistance?"

"Nah, I think we got it man, thanks though." Bix said with a smile. He knew Freed was going to hold this over the slayers heads for a bit, as it wasn't often that he could get one on them with no magic involved.

"I was actually going to offer something, if you'd care to hear me out." Freed stated, tucking his hands behind his back.

"And what would that be?" Emi asked with a tilt of her head.

"Since I can only assume that Bickslow and Gajeel are going to be proposing to Levy, I can cast runes on the rings that will allow for the rings to adjust to the correct, comfortable size of the wearer, including for times if or when fingers may or may not swell due to any number of things. Protection runes, communication runes, tracking runes and runes that will not allow for the rings to be removed by anyone outside of the wearer or the wearers spouses, can also be placed."

"That...is actually an amazingly awesome idea. Please Freed, feel free." Bickslow asked, nodding to Gajeel who help his hand out with the rings cupped in his palm.

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"Dammit Lucy, I know he destroys everything when you're not there, but couldn't this have waited 'till tomorrow?!" Levy whined under her breath with a huff. She had spent most of the day with Lucy, having a girls day, reading, writing, watching movies, the usual girl stuff. They had even been right in the middle of eating some loaded pizza while watching a horror flick (a genre Levy secretly loved, but she would take that to the grave), and just as the monster had made its appearance suddenly, Natsu's "yo" had rung echoed through the room. The resulting chaos had been, to an extent, expected and hilarious. Pizza flew one way, the girls flew another way as they jumped and screamed, flailing as they fell off the couch with resulting thuds, and Natsu had fallen into the room laughing uncontrollably, from his perch in the living room window.

To say Natsu's ears were ringing a second later as Lucy chewed him out was an understatement, but shortly after Lucy had turned her big golden brown eyes on Levy and asked her to go get her recent written chapter that had accidentally been left at the guild. She obviously couldn't leave Natsu alone in her home, and she didn't send Natsu after the chapter for fear of the written pages being turned to ash. That last part had nailed it home, and Levy's love for books had cringed at that thought. So with a resigned sigh, she set off back to the guild, alone, at nearly midnight.

Letting out another frustrated groan, Levy was actually happy when she saw the steps leading to the guild, and she didn't give much thought except to continue mentally cursing her best friend as she shoved into the guildhall. It wasn't until she was about halfway into the guild when she realized something was off. Lifting her head, she felt her jaw drop as she took in her surroundings on a gasp.

Candlelight flickered gently over her skin, the candles themselves flanking her on either side from their spots on the tables leading to the stage. The gentle scent of flowers danced in the air, and as she looked around she found the garlands of flowers decorating the pillars and the rafters of the guild. The rest of the lights of the guild had been shut off and as she followed the leading trail of candlelight she found more candles lining the edge of the stage, flanking the two large men sitting with their legs draped over the edge of it. She felt her heart start to pound, her thoughts short out, and she couldn't move any further if her depended on it.

Now she knew why Lucy had sent her along on her own. It was like out of one of her favorite romance stories. She could only watch, trembling, as the two men slid from the stage and walked towards her with gentle smiles, gripping her hands lightly, and leading her to the stage. It was at that point she saw a large leather bound book, it's cover pressed with an intricately woven design. Feeling her eyes burn at unshed tears, she ran her fingers gentle over the front of it, just barely aware of her men standing right behind her to either side.

Running her fingers to the edge of the cover, she flipped it open, thinking that she'd find it filled with words, and she was partially right. The words purposely placed in the middle of the page, however, caused her breath to catch in her throat on a strangled whimper.

'The Life Adventures of Bickslow, Levana, and Gajeel Pradesh'

Seeing that the sturdy paper was bowed up slightly, Levy turned the page, and the first tear fell.

There, tied to the end of the orange, red, and blue braided ribbon that was the books place holder, was a set of rings. One delicately made, of flowers, black and sapphire stones set at their centers, and the other a ring with two dragons wrapped around each other, sapphires, rubies, and black diamonds for the eyes.

Swallowing hard against the knot of emotion lodged in her throat, she slowly turned around, eyes widening as her hands lifted to cover trembling lips, and the second tear fell.

Bickslow and Gajeel were kneeling before her, sitting back on their haunches, and if it wasn't for the slight tremble of the hands that were gripping their own thighs, Levy wouldn't have been able to tell that even they were nervous.

Bickslow smiled at her. "Levana McGarden, I, Bickslow Pradesh, ask to take you as wife, to join my family as a Princess of Archipelago, bound to the isle of Anam with me, share our bed, bear our children and stand beside me as an equal partner through life?" He elbowed Gajeel then, who blinked and cleared his throat looking so far out of his element it would have been comical if the moment weren't so profound.

"Levy, I'm not one for words, for me they all seem to come from you two, the important ones anyway." He frowned and Bickslow nudged him again, they had worked on this, the words were simple, Gajeel just had to recite them.

"Ok, damn it, I'm making you pay for that later Bix...Levy, I, Gajeel Redfox, ask you to be my wife, an equal at my side, mother of my children, looking after this brat for the rest of our lives." He elbowed Bickslow who snickered but then sobered looking up at Levy hopefully.

"Yes...yes...oh so many times yes!" Levy answered around her strangled breaths, shooting forward to wrap an arm around both of them, tears falling freely now, joyful laughter escaping her as she buried her face in the pressed together shoulders of her mates.

To say none of them got any sleep once the rings were on her fingers and they were back home would be a very smart assumption.

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The next day at the guild when the three mages walked into the guild with mile wide grins, they were met with cheers that shocked the hell out of them. Looking around at all of the smiling faces turned towards them, and what was so very obviously already a party in full swing, they could only blink in confusion...until the words that were said the night before reached them over the cheers and as one they turned back to the stage.

There, playing on the large screen that had been set up, was a recording of the proposal from the night before, and the three of them flushed a vibrant red, matching even Erza's hair.

"DAMMIT MIRA!" They cursed at the same time.

The resulting laughter had the three facepalming right before being yanked into the party being held for them. With little resignation, they let the congratulations wash over them, their goofy smiles once more spreading.

This was Fairy Tail after all.

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It had been two months.

Two months since Laxus had returned from mating with Emzadi, hand in hand, grinning, only to be tackled by Bickslow. There had been the expected party, loud and rowdy, drinks had flowed freely, music had blared till the early morning hours while Fairy Tail celebrated gaining yet another powerful mage, another Dragon slayer.

Things had managed to calm down slightly, the various teams and individual mages were back to taking jobs, and after the announced engagement of Bickslow, Levy, and Gajeel almost two months prior, wedding plans were crazily under way. And now Sting found himself standing on the edge of the cliffs overlooking Magnolia, Fairy Tail, and the large lake that disappeared into the horizon.

He had always been drawn to the water.

All aspects of it. Like a sirens song it had called to him for as long as he could remember.

He didn't know why, or how, but because of it, he had come a long way. He knew that.

Looking out over the bay that nestled up against the city of Magnolia with the Fairy Tail guild standing tall and confident between the two, he knew he had come to where he needed to be. The water crashed and roared far below, slamming into the rocks with a persistence that he could respect. Two forces constantly at odds that also worked so well together. He had always loved how soothing, how healing and gentle water could be, and just how deadly dangerous it could turn.

Being a part of Sabertooth had gifted him with many memories, both good and bad, and many experiences that he knew had helped him grow. He would even admit that there were times he missed having the ability to lead things, and help guide his guild mates on a path that would lead to a brighter future for themselves. But never did he regret his decision.

It had felt right to move on and join the guild that had taught him the strength of nakama, of acknowledging, embracing ones fears. When he had handed over the reins of Sabertooth to Minerva months ago, it had been with complete confidence that she would do well. He had made certain that he wouldn't leave until he felt the guild was being led to embrace the same strengths that Fairy Tail did.

And when he finally had left, with Rogue by his side, it had been with tearful waves from their old friends, as they left to join those they had once ridiculed.

Now, sitting with his legs dangling over the edge of the cliff face that overlook Magnolia, he took a deep breath of the moist air, and stared out at the horizon, trying to make sense of the things that had been happening for a while. Seeing the city so vibrant, so full of life and light that filled him to overflowing with the feeling of belonging, had him smiling softly.

With his enhanced dragon hearing, he could hear his fellow guild members enjoying a day at the guilds pool, shouts, laughter and insults ringing clear in the air. He could admit that he had been surprised when he and Rogue are been accepted so easily into the guild, made into one of them.

He was content, he really was...and yet...something still wasn't sitting right with him, and he had no idea what it was. Huffing out a breath, he rolled to his feet to pace back and forth along the edge off the cliff, kicking at the rocks and dirt that tumbled easily into the water below.

The dreams were coming more often now, and each time it was something different, but there had been one constant. Water. Various forms of it, but always there. A pond, a lake, the ocean, rivers and streams, being pulled and twisted into mesmerizing forms, light glinting off of it like diamonds.

And each and every time, he had been drawn to it, but just as he was about to slide his fingers across its cool surface, he would wake up, drenched in sweat, panting, and with hand stretched out. It bothered him to no end that he hadn't been able to find the answer to what was plaguing him. Stopping to stare out over the water once more, he narrowed his gaze.

He hadn't even mentioned it to anyone, not even Rogue, because he didn't want to look like any more of a moron than he already did, and he was scared that if he did say anything, he'd lose those dreams.

"Sulking again are we?" A voice asked from behind him.

"Since when do I sulk?" Sting asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. He wasn't surprised that Rogue had followed him up here, and had been aware of the shadow speeding along the face of the cliff, making handy use of the natural shadows there. That, and his smell had alerted him to his friends arrival.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Rogue asked drily, stepping up to stand by his long time friend, his own red gaze sweeping over the horizon for possible trouble.

"Why don't you go suck some light?" Sting asked in a singsong tone, wincing internally. Yep, there was definitely something wrong with him, usually his insults were much better. The fact that even Rogue picked up it was even worse.

"Is everything alright Sting? You're quieter thank normal."

"Nothing. It's nothing to worry about." Sting stated firmly.

"It's obviously not nothing, even the rest of the slayers can tell that something is bothering you." Rogue huffed with a glare.

"It's nothing for you to worry about Ryos, just something that's been on my mind." Sting reiterated, turning a narrowed gaze on his long time friend. Rogue immediately backed off, remembering the few times that he had continued to push after having his given name used in warning had led him to spending a number of days in the infirmary, with guild mates asking what he had done. That was an experience he did not want to repeat anytime soon.

"Anyways, what are you doing up here?" Sting asked, turning back to stare over the water once more.

"I've been kicking around an idea I've had for about a month or so, and when I realized you'd come up here, I figured I'd come up and run it by you." Rogue stated, stepping up to stand by his lifetime friend, looking out over the same horizon.

"Ok, shoot."

"With Fairy Tail having nine dragon slayers in it now, the damages that happen to the guild are happening more often, and more extensively, causing a bit of a strain on the guilds funds for repairs. I've been doing some research into it, and I was thinking that if we opened a bed and breakfast sort of deal up here, with a practice ring of sorts, protected and enhanced, and reinforced with magical seals, we could draw in some additional income to help the slayers, the guild, the city for possible damages, while also creating an additional defense up here, because from here we can see for miles out on the horizon, and out past the city for any possible danger, giving us time to prepare as needed." Rogue rushed out, flushing a little.

He'd always been the quiet one, and to have said this much made him a little uncomfortable. Glancing at Sting from the corner of his eye, and seeing the lifted brow had him clearing his throat and turning away again abruptly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well...this just goes to show that we've been together for a long time. I've been playing with a similar idea for a while also. Some tweaks here and there, but it's a sound idea. I've noticed that the bay is a bit of a weak point for Fairy Tail and Magnolia as a whole. And while the slayers can hear things coming from miles away, if we're down in the city when it happens, it can be harder for us to make the right preparations for defense if we don't know what's coming. If we had a base of sorts up here, we'd be able to see things coming from beyond the city, and from miles away on the water. Add in the possibility of digging down and in, into the cliff, reinforce it with runes, etc, create emergency housing, for the citizens and those injured, and we'd be better able to protect those we care about." Sting agreed.

"Why don't you ever show everyone else this side of you? The smart tactician who thinks of more than just jokes and games?" Rogue asked, sighing. He honestly should've known that Sting had been thinking along the same lines as he was. They'd grown up together, and were called the twin dragon slayers for a reason.

"And smudge my reputation as the local playboy and troublemaker who never takes anything seriously?"

Sting chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at his friend. "Nah, that reputation, and being underestimated is what's helped me learn a lot of needed information, as well as the entertainment factor once they realize how much they fucked up." Sting continued with an amused curl of his lip.

"I suppose there is that." Rogue relented with a thoughtful look. Taking another deep breath, he broached the other thing that had been bothering him. "Do you feel it to Sting?"

"Feel what?"

"That sense of something coming. I don't know what it is, haven't been able to pinpoint it, but something big is coming, and I'm afraid that it's war. The only other time I've felt like this has been when something is about to happen that results in a lot of chaos and blood spilled." Rogue paused before continuing. "I've been catching whispers, here and there, in the shadows, of something more coming, that if not handled right, could kill all of us."

"Damn. I'd been hoping that I'd been the only one feeling that way. Yea, I've been feeling it. There's change coming, and I'm not sure if its for the better yet." Sting said quietly.

"For now we should probably head back down, they're looking for us, and we can speak with jiji in a bit about this idea. He'll more than likely agree if it's to help everyone."

"Good point. Alright, let's go, we'll meet with him and Laxus later this evening, after the pool party is over. We don't want to take away everyone's fun with something so serious."

"Alright." Lifting a brow at his friend with an amused smirk. "Last one there covers the bar tab."

"You're on!" With an excited whoop, Sting jumped right off the edge of the cliff, kicking in his own magic to enhance his speed as he jumped from one outcropping to another, Rogues shadow form keeping pace with him easily.

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A short time later found Sting and Rogue sliding to a stop in front of the outside bar, their hands slapping down on it at the same time, causing many of their other guild mates to yelp in shock. Glaring and huffing at each other, they crossed arms.

"It was a draw dammit, and you know it Sting so don't try and get me to cover your tab, you're on your own tonight." Rogue stated firmly before turning and slipping into the guild hall without another word.

Pouting slightly at what he considered a loss, he turned and found Mira looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Race that the loser had to cover the others tab as well as their own tonight." Sting explained with a shrug. Smiling fully, she nodded.

"What can I get for you Sting?"

"Eh, just some water for right now, I'm about to hop in the pool." Picking up the glass that was set before him, he drained the cool liquid before turning back to face the pool area, seeing many of the guild mates sprawled around on the grass, in lounge chairs, under umbrellas and floating along in the pool. Stripping off his shirt, he took a few quick steps before diving cleanly into the deep end. Breaking the surface of the water, he slicked his hair back, and then allowed himself to float along, eyes closed, soaking up the element that fed his magic, and enjoying the cool caress of the water surrounding him.

He wasn't sure how long he floated along there, in a place between dozing and being fully aware of things, but the sound of his nakama enjoying themselves brought a smile to his lips, only encouraging his drive to want to protect them even more. He could hear Bix poking fun at someone off to the side, out of the pool, and heard his sister, Emzadi, demand that Bix leave the other person be. Smirking, he could do the countdown in his head as he mentally followed his fellow prankster in increasing his efforts to bug the mystery perso- and yup, there's the shriek of indication as the mystery person was suddenly hefted up and thrown through the air and into the po-

The next moment had Sting spluttering as he swallowed more pool water than he'd care to think about, after being abruptly shoved under with an added weight on top of him. He was quick to wrap his arms around the decidedly curvy figure on top of him as he pushed off the bottom of the pool to the surface, breaking the water with curses spilling from his lips. Before he could curse Bixlow up one side and down the other, he heard a musical voice right doing it for him, and he couldn't stop the reflexive grip that tightened on the soft hips still pressed against his own.

"Dammit Bix I told you to leave me be, I was comfortable where I was!" A womans voice, clear and sweet and pure, snarled, causing Stings blood to instantly boil, and him to gulp hard against the growl that was threatening to force itself from him. He could feel his dragon shifting, slamming against his mental barriers, and growling up a storm.

"But Xally, you're been out in the sun for so long, I didn't want you to crisp!" Bix shot back with a laugh, standing well back from the edge of the pool, his signature grin allowing for his tongue to hang free.

"And you think to fix that by throwing me into the pool?! You idiot, you made me land on someone!"

Xally snapped, jerking a thumb over her shoulder at Sting, feeling his hands still gripping her hips tightly.

"It's just Sting. You weigh practically nothing, so it's not like you were going to hurt him." Bix shrugged, shifting his gaze to Sting for a moment before looking back at Xally. "Sorry about that though, sis here has had her nose buried in a book all morning." When he didn't get a response from his friend, Bix looked back at Sting, worried that maybe he had gotten hurt after all, and instead felt his jaw drop as he watched Sting drop his face to nuzzle into the curve of his sisters neck, and his arms shift to wrap more securely around her.

"Sting! What the hell are you doing man?!" Bix demanded, stepping to the edge of the pool, bending over, and reaching out to grip his sisters hand to yank her free from Stings hold. He had only been thinking to keep his sister from his friends playboy habits, not thinking about the danger to his health, and flat ignoring the blissful look that stole over Xallys face at feeling her neck be nuzzled by the mystery man behind her. The warning growl that vibrated against her skin had her whimpering in delight, and pressing harder into Stings hold.

The moment Bixs fingers touched Xallys skin, he found his wrist in a bruising, almost breaking bone grip, followed by a growl that he knew was a warning. Freezing, he slowly looked up to find fury filled slitted eyes staring at him, lips lifted over bared snarling fangs, and knew he had some how managed to mess up big time. He knew his eyes flickered green for a bare moment, just enough so he could glance down to where his sisters soul was, only to start cursing fervently as both the grip on his wrist tightened further, and the seed of yellow that showed brightly against the back drop of his sisters light blue soul flared in warning. Taking a slow breath, he raised his eyes up to meet Stings gaze once more, absently taking note of the white scales that were appearing along the mans cheekbones, and lifted his free hand in a sign of peace.

"Ok Sting, you've made your point, if you can let go, I'll back up." Bix said quietly, carefully. One by one, his fingers loosened, and as soon as his now throbbing wrist was free, Bix took two quick steps back, rubbing at it with a wince. He watched as Xally turned and faced Sting head on, no fear, head tilting in curiosity at the sight of the scales. She knew what Sting was, she had heard of him before, but this was the first time she had met him.

When he felt her trying to turn in his arms, Sting was quick to loosen his grip just enough so she could without actually letting her go. Meeting aquamarine eyes filled with mirth with his own, he smiled, a weight lifting from his chest. He knew who she was now, from the satisfied growl that came from his dragon.

My mate, miinneee.

That same smile morphed into delighted laughter when he saw her lift a hand with a globe of water swirling above it before she flung it back over her shoulder to burst against Bixlows face, drenching him immediately, causing his curses to ring out loud and clear.

"Tossing a water mage into a pool, making me lose my place in my book…" Her eyes narrowed and he watched water snake out of the pool and Bickslows yelp as it wound around him like a snake before snatching him from the side of the pool and flipping him up into the air to splash down a little ways away from where she was still intently watching Stings eyes.

She was a water mage, he found that to be just perfect for him. Feeling her hand lower to cup his cheek, her own soft smile pulling at her lips, he turned his head ever so slightly to nip at the skin of her wrist lightly.

"I'm Xally, Bix's younger sister." She said, introducing herself.

"I'm Sting, Fairy Tail member, ex-master of Sabertooth, and you gorgeous, are my mate."

"Mate? As in….forever and ever thing?" She asked. A flicker of worry went over him, commitment on the grand scale had never been something he thought much about, being a Dragon Slayer he'd grown up knowing one day it would happen though, and looking into those eyes, feeling her move a little closer to him, her bikini clad body feeling so soft and perfect in his arms, he was good with it, better than good, his eyes left from hers for a moment to admire her mouth, full pink lips curled up in a smile.

"That's it…you're mine." He replied, she narrowed her eyes "Hmmm, more like you, are mine…I'm foreseeing a nice dinner date, your place, I like Italian and pasta is good for energy, don't wear much…I'm Boscan sexy, I want a free ride on all this… " She trailed her hand down his chest and his eyes flew wide and brain stuttered as her fingers skimmed the waistband of his swim trucks and tugged them lightly "before I let you sink those fangs into me." She purred and He gaped at her.

"Where have you fucking been all my life?" He demanded before greedily meeting her halfway when she leaned in to kiss him. She wound her arms around his neck, parting her lips at his first request and he groaned into the kiss.

Gods help him she was a water mage set on boil, she tasted like salted caramel and smelled like an ocean breeze. He was just doomed, instantly enamored well beyond the insanity his dragon was going through. Perfect, mile long legs, soft hips, smooth tan skin and black hair framing a gorgeous face with eyes the color of a tropical cove. What had the Gods just taken everything from every good dream he'd ever had and made a woman for him? Seemed that way.

He was praising Gods and letting his hands massage her backside with the silky dark blue bikini bottom being the only thing keeping his hands from all of her skin. But as she devoured his mouth, wrapped her legs around his hips and clenched him in hard against her he was certain he'd be touching more later…if she didn't fuck him to death…and as hard as she was kissing him and pushing into him he was delighted at the possibility there seemed to be for that, he might just have his mark into that lovely neck before dawn tomorrow.


	20. Chapter 19

OK! *claps hands* So, I know it's been a while, a great deal longer than we had hoped, since we updated this, and for that, I apologize profusely, but when Desna and I started this chapter, it ran away, with us barely hanging on. There's a lot that happens in this chapter, and is officially the longest chapter in this story so far, at over 27.5k words. Things are starting to wrap up also with this story, but don't worry, there's more to come. That being said, please remember to leave a review, it's what feeds Desna and I, helps keep us going. Happy reading!

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Getting out of the pool, with a woman wrapped around his body might have been an issue were it not for the fact Xally was a water mage. When he dipped his head to whisper to her they should find some privacy, that he wanted to be alone with her, he found the water embracing him and lifting them both from the pool and depositing him on his feet.

He wasn't happy when Xally untangled herself from him but he wasn't given options and was struggling with his dragon clammering inside of him wildly. She did walk with him along the thick bamboo covered wall that separated the pool area from the hot baths that were currently closed. As soon as they rounded the corner and were out of sight he pinned her to the wall, kissing her again and she didn't resist him at all, leaning into him eagerly.

"Gods...is it always going to be like this?! I want you so bad…" She breathed and he smiled, at least she felt it as much as he did, his father had told him it would be that way, his mate would feel all the need and desire he did.

"Mmm, think of it as a perk of being mated to me…" He purred, nuzzling into her hair and breathing in her ocean-like scent that soothed his dragon so it's demands weren't quite as painful.

"But we aren't mated yet…" Xally responded, kissing along his jaw while he switched sides and started kissing her temple, fingers pushing into her wet black hair. "Need to fix that...now would be good for me…" She added in a purr that sent most of Stings blood south.

"Too early to tell you I'm falling in love already?" He asked with a smile. She pulled back and gave him an offended look.

"Took you this long? Pffft, so much for love at first sight, where's my romance?" She scoffed and he laughed, sure now she was the most perfect thing in the world for him.

"How about I work on it while we handle making you my mate permanently?" He offered.

She sighed, and he hissed a sharp breath in when her small hand slid down the front of his swim trunks and grasped his burgeoning erection. "At least part of you is fully committed." She grinned up at him, fingers working him and making his eyes close and a rumbling growl of deep approval flow up his throat unbidden.

"Y-yeah, you have me by the dick...my devotion is pretty assured here…" He managed around shuddering breaths.

Sting was a playboy, had always been, puberty had come early for him thanks to his slayer magic and he'd gone through his first mating season at 14, a year before Rogue started his. The Light slayer had always been very active, charming and fun, rakishly handsome with an easy smile and upbeat personality he had never worked for female attention and had always bedded any woman he'd set his sights on. Older, same age, anything, he'd been with women who knew their way around a mans body, but none, not one, held a candle to Xally.

He'd heard about Boscan women, aggressive, bold, fearless and passionate, Boscan women were famous. He'd not ever had the pleasure, though he'd always wanted to. It seemed fitting his mate would be from that type of background. She was driving him out of his mind and dear Gods above all he'd experienced so far was her hand…

"Do you live close to the guild?" She asked hopefully. He frowned shaking his head, he did not, he and Rogue had taken an apartment closer to Southgate Park and the market district, Rogues idea…

"Mmm, and my hotel is near the Cathedral...I doubt I can wait that long and you don't feel like you can...all nice and hard for me…" She purred giving him a squeeze that set his teeth clenching and made him groan, hips bucking involuntarily.

"I know…" Her wicked smile was his only warning before steaming waters reached over the bamboo covered wall and swept them up, bringing them over the wall into the darkened womens bathing area.

As soon as his feet hit the rough tile floor Sting was pressing Xally against that wall, yanking at the strings of her bikini and growling as it fell away with little work from him, her full breasts pressing against his bare chest, begging for his greedy mouth that he latched on to the peak of one while he grasped the other from the outside, gently gliding his thumb over her still wet skin.

She moaned, writhing against him, legs lifting and wrapping around him after she shoved his trunks down and freed his painfully hard member.

When he let his free hand slide down her body he groaned at finding her already soaking wet, more than ready for him and his dragon was in no condition to wait any more than he was. Xally certainly had no intention of playing much either, her hips moving wickedly in small thrusts, dragging her soaked hot center over him and making him growl and shudder.

"If you don't take the initiative my sexy Dragon, I'm going to take it myself and get that free ride in before I let you mark me…" She warned breathlessly.

Sting pulled her from the wall, laying her back on the cool tiles. "No….you can ride me after I get my fangs into you…" He growled, and she keened as he, with no more play than what they had done, thrust himself into her.

His dragon nearly ripped all control from him feeling her tight walls working his length, Xally didn't wait for him to move, thrusting up into him hard and he gasped but smiled at her before he sealed his mouth over hers. Gods he was never going to be left needing much, not with a lusty mate like this…

Every God was praised with every thrust, Xally was active, so very very good at moving herself beneath him and her nails, her mouth, kept all of him wildly engaged, his dragon could barely keep up as Stings mind shut down, lost in a snarling, rough and wild coupling that had them both breathless, gasping for air, sweating and flushed when Sting felt the delicious tingling start at the base of his spine, his balls tightening up as her walls started tightening on him and when she came with a deep gasp of his name he was right with her, fangs sinking into her neck, sucking her blood over his tongue as his hips pumped against hers, spilling his seed into her and filling her as they rode out the long drawn out waves of pleasure, their magic flowing into each other and for Sting it was like coming home.

Like he'd been adrift and found his port on the sea he'd always adored in his alluring beautiful water mage of a mate. As the orgasm slowed its intensity he licked at the mark until it stopped bleeding then slanted his lips over hers languidly, smiling as she purred against him, threading her fingers in his pale blonde hair.

"Mmm,love me yet?" She asked and he grinned, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Madly...my mate." He responded.

"Good, because I did the whole love at first sight thing and was feeling lonely…" She gave him a pout and he laughed, kissing her again. Gods help him that pout was going to be a weapon he hoped she didn't use much because he already knew he'd never be able to say no to it.

"Now...lets use this bath, then go to either your place...or my hotel because I still want my ride." She smirked and he hugged her up into him tightly. Yep….he was in love.

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Rotbull moved slowly, eyes careful on the two men ahead of him, his own guildmates sometimes did surprise him, the trick was making sure he didn't show that. The guild had ambitions far beyond what most of it's members knew or even cared about. They would follow, fight, do whatever they were ordered to do, obedience wasn't a question in Nightmare, once you were in the guild, you did what the guild asked of you.

For some members that wasn't much if anything, for others, like himself, the guild was his life and life was the guild. Moving past the two men bickering over the slender woman whose Lamia Scale emblem had already cut out of her skin.

His own "toys" looked up when he entered his home, he had one of the better ones in Dark Water, 5 bedrooms and baths, kept spotless by his pets. The will and independence had long since been removed from each of them. The slender red haired woman who had been a decent enchantress before her bi-colored eyes and stunning beauty had caught Rotbulls attention and he'd had to have her.

Celia was his, his oldest pet now having been with him for 6 years. He'd had her sterilized, not desiring children and wanting to be sure she didn't accidentally bear any for any of his guildmates when he loaned her out or took her to guild events where she got heavily used.

Close by was Bradly, the silver haired blue eyed musician he'd stolen from Stella, the young lord had been slated to marry into a fine family, was gorgeous, with a lithe muscular body and elegant features, his silver hair and pale blue eyes had drawn Rotbull who had first just wanted to break the man, passing him around the guild for nearly a month before finally plucking him, beaten, bruised and starved, near death and filthy from the guild halls back "entertainment area" where they kept the slaves that were for general use. He'd had Celia nurse him back to health and found that time had done what he'd wanted it to. Bradly was a fine and submissive lover now, never mentioned his old life.

Luric was his big Atlan, a guard that had killed 18 of his men before Rotbull had come to end the battle to get into the lacrima holding chamber of the white lacrima mine they were robbing. He'd taken the big man down, and then spent hours fucking him endlessly, rough as all hell to the point even he thought he was getting too rough and the burly man hadn't broken. He still cursed at Rotbull now and then, but the succubus magic and drugs kept him loyal, and when Rotbull wanted it really rough, only Luric would do.

That was until now, with a platinum haired Prince and Guildmaster stuck in his head. He had the space, and damn if he didn't want to see that lavender eyed blonde on his knees again, would love to get Bradly sucking on him while he fucked him, made him make noises, he hadn't been able to get a damn sound out of the man and even Luric made noises.

Rotbull wanted more of him. He hadn't broken him and from what he'd heard, the coven hadn't either before they got wiped out by the fucking Fairies and White Sea. That big beautiful creature was still defiant, still spirited and Rotbull would love little more than to end that, to see that muscular thing on his knees begging Rotbull for could keep his bed plenty warm. Imagining Kaleb screwing Celia while he watched also appealed to him, he could enjoy watching that blonde do about anything really. He was holding out a hope that when Nightmare finished with their plans, he'd make his desires a reality. He wanted to own that prince, maybe one or two of the others. He'd gotten to see the raven haired one, the big one with the dark blue eyes and that pink haired one he was mated to, yeah, he'd happily take those two as well, and that statuesque blonde princess with the orange eyes.

Rotbull enjoyed the human trade he worked in, as a blood mage he could manipulate people pretty well, bend them to his needs through their very blood, pain was a great tool, so was a dull stupor.

He knew they would have more targets, he meant to get blood off all of Fairy Tails Dragon Slayers mated or not, it was good insurance. He wasn't too happy he had so many targets right now, the damn Lightning and Solar slayers were going to be a challenge and a half. He was looking forward to it, but those two had mated and then the Light Dragon Slayer of the twin dragons had mated with the other Archipelagan Princess, so he had four targets all at once.

He had eyed the Shadow slayer with narrow eyes, a fine looking thing, slender, muscular, with black hair and red eyes, he wouldn't mind trying that one out himself, they were putting together a system to start just pulling in fairies, they'd sell the ones they didn't need, bleed the ones they did and hunt down the two Princesses, get their blood.

He wasn't too worried about the water mage but the Solar Dragon Slayer was a real threat, he knew she had killed a couple of blood mages, strong ones, a month earlier when White Sea had taken down a dark guild that had made the mistake of getting on the Boscan guilds radar.

Well, Nightmare was, he knew it, he had personally fucked their Guild Master so, smirking to himself, he knew he was high on White Seas wanted list. Gods he would enjoy taking a piece out of every one of those royal brats, and their spouses if they had them.

Tossing aside his papers and bags he strode back out of his home and headed for the guildhall, waving Luric to flank him, he wouldn't risk his other toys getting requested by any of his fellow lieutenants tonight, he was feeling greedy and few of them liked Luric, he was too rough.

The guild hall was packed as usual, gambling, some dealing, those dumb enough to pass out laying in the mud outside as he passed. His entrance was noticed, several sharp eyes falling on him. Tressa, a beefy masculine woman from Midi nodded at him as he started to pass her table.

She liked collecting too, just like he did, and unlike the Madame poison mage who had been an idiot and indulged in fetish clubs, Tressa kept her kinks to her own home or to the guild entertainment area behind the bar. She would do him some hefty favors for a week with Bradly, and if he could score Kaleb….oh there wouldn't be much Tressa wouldn't do for a shot at a really big muscular blonde Boscan.

"Rotty, glad you're back, master is having a com meeting in the conference room upstairs in 20 minutes." Tressa told him. He grunted, keeping his face expressionless and unconcerned he sat across from her.

"Guess I won't have time to get a drink or relax much then." He sighed. Tressa snorted "You rarely drink." She observed and he shrugged, it was true, his blood magic made it so alcohol didn't affect him unless he wanted it to, so drinking was a waste of time unless he did it for other reasons and let himself get drunk, which he never did anymore.

Maintaining his edge mattered too much.

"So, Rugers been bragging his damn ass off about the Guild Master of White Sea sucking him off, that true?" She asked. Tressa had a thing for that Guildmaster. Rotbull shrugged.

"Didn't do it willingly, he was drugged out of his fucking mind by the succubus, chained to a x-frame in the covens lair and had a ball gag in his mouth so he wouldn't bite the assholes dick off so if he's makin it sound like he won the guy over or broke him down? Not true, that bastard was worlds away from breaking even after I fucked him myself." Rotbull said plainly.

Tressa narrowed her eyes on him "You got your hands on him huh? He big like they say?" She asked eagerly.

Rotbull smirked at her. "Well over 6 feet, hair like silk, and hung like a horse. You'd drench your panties if you saw him naked Tressa. Fuck I damn near creamed mine when I first laid eyes on him, he's fucking unreal, that immaculate light shit took an already fine piece of ass and turned it into a wet dream on legs. The royals of those islands are all fine, every damn one of them, but that one? Yeah even I'd like another go with him." He admitted. Tressa grinned.

"Might get my shot, still alot of work to do, but masters got some good plans, and if it all goes off like he says...well, you and I may have to talk about who gets that Prince…" She snickered.

"You seen the other big one? Dark blue eyes, black hair, muscled up and a Dragon Slayer so he's got some endurance, mated to a pink haired fire slayer that's really nice to look at, you got those two you could sandwich in between them and have yourself a fine time." He smirked.

Tressa laughed and stood, seeing a couple of the other high ranking members head for the stairs. "Lets go get our seats." She said and Rotbull stood, ordering Luric to wait at the table for him and smiling faintly when the man told him to fuck off but sat down obediently.

When Rotbull emerged a few hours later he strode swiftly through the hall glowering angrily, he barely gestured to Luric, snapping to the man to go home. "Make sure the house is kept up, Celia and Bradly are to go nowhere without you, I may be gone a while." He snapped and Luric nodded, turning to head for the house while Rotbull headed for the docks.

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Kaleb narrowed his eyes, lips twitching slightly as he heard his mate moving in on the man he was on.

 _'That's right fucker, try to outrun me, fucking idiot_ …'

Cobra tripped the man and let him tumble painfully on the cobblestones. The pervert was one of two taking pictures of couples having sex at the couples retreat in Sugarmoon Bay. Luring them in hadn't even been hard. Cobra and him had just been affectionate while at the pool in their swim shorts and then "snuck" off into some ferns nearby and within minutes, seriously, Kaleb had barely gotten his hand down the front of Cobras shorts, the pervs were trying to get good angles to get pictures.

Cobra had caught the lewd man and his partners plans to wait for some nudity and slid right out of Kalebs grasp while Kaleb had gone the other way after the mans partner, a tall brunette woman who, when Kaleb closed on her had held her hands up and smirked at him.

"Oh come on blondie, you and I should be able to work something out, you can't just prefer boys, not with a bod like that…" she'd tried, Kaleb had scoffed at her.

"Just the one there, now hand the camera over or I'll just melt it over your hands, I don't really care if you lose all use of them…" He'd threatened and she'd handed the camera over, let him grab her arm and start walking her back while Cobra finished running down the man.

The scraped and bleeding man was soon dragged over and they hauled the pair to the resorts office where local authorities came to collect them while Kaleb and Cobra collected their reward, which included a free week at the resort, one of the reasons Kaleb had chosen it.

"You're up to something." Cobra accused as they walked back toward the elevators to return to their room and clean up before dinner. Kaleb smirked, walking silently.

 _'You'll find out love.'_ He purred into Cobras mind and his mate shuddered like he usually did when Kaleb talked to him that way.

They rarely showered separately anymore, Cobra just enjoyed all the touching, having Kalebs hands soap down his body, and they rarely got through a shower without at least one of them groaning out a climax because they both liked teasing each other.

Pool water and dirt washed away, Kaleb dressed and slid the dark velvet box in his pocket keeping his thoughts carefully trained on a couples massage after dinner. Cobra was perceptive, and he had to pay careful attention to keep things from his mate. Normally, he wouldn't, he had no reason to, but this was special, he wanted to surprise Erik with this.

Staring out of the window of their room, he knew nothing would get in his way this time. The last time he and Erik had been here, and he had wanted to do this, the job at the time had taken much longer, and both of their levels of patience had been shot. By the time they had finished it, they just wanted to be home, and that had been fine. That had been about three months ago. This time though...it had been a fairly simple job, and thankfully done in a timely manner. Hearing a sound behind him, Kaleb turned to smile at his mate.

The Poison slayers amethyst gaze swept up and down his tall mate and heated as he did. The play in the shower fresh in his mind and body. Kaleb in mid-thigh length snug jean shorts and a thin white silk button down looked too good to share.

"I vote for room service…" Erik growled and Kaleb smirked.

"We did that the last two nights, I want to eat on the balcony over the bay." He said firmly.

Erik sighed. "Fine...but we have desert in the room." He smirked.

Kaleb smiled. "Long as I eat first…" He quipped making Erik stumble and whimper a little as he strode past him.

They did get privacy, the tables were set up that way, it was a couples retreat after all. And the view was spectacular, not that Erik cared much, far more into watching the moonlight play on Kalebs hair and enjoying rubbing his foot on his mates muscled calf.

Kaleb was blocking him, he knew he was, he just couldn't figure out why or what he was keeping from him. It wasn't bad, Kaleb was in too good a mood, and his mate wasn't one to hide when he was upset about something. Definitely would not have been so affectionate in the shower either, sliding down to his knees and taking Cobra eagerly in his mouth.

He'd wanted to get that going himself, loved slathering soap all over his mates body and licking the mildly toxic stuff off, especially Kalebs nicely endowed cock. He wanted him desperately now too, Gods just that little round of what was supposed to be fake play in the ferns had him thinking up all sorts of things, how much he'd like to get his mate naked in the undergrowth. His hand had felt very good, Cobra had wanted to kill the pervs when they had interrupted them.

He was too lost in his far from innocent thoughts, which Kaleb was catching and trying not to let them derail him, when Kaleb drew a breath and pulled the box out of his pocket, holding it beneath the table and meeting Cobras half dazed gaze.

"Erik?" He smirked faintly when his mate licked his lips, eye locking onto Kalebs mouth, wicked thoughts about where he wanted that mouth to be, about making Kaleb gasp out his name clouding the mans thoughts heavily.

Cobra had gotten over his hesitations where sex was concerned, and it was like floodgates had opened, Kaleb had no complaints, he was a perfectly healthy Boscan, young, and honestly couldn't seem to get enough of Erik anyway, so he was perfectly happy with their frequent hot and heavy interludes.

"Erik! Erik love, stop imagining fucking me for a minute." He insisted trying not to laugh. Cobra blinked at him, and suddenly Kaleb opened up, and Cobras vision blurred as he was pulled into a beautiful vision of an island with gorgeous lavender and white flowers, lush green lawns before a large guild hall that bore both the Fairy Tail and White Sea guild emblems. Along a winding path flanked by more flowers and lush green trees a house rose up, grand, with large patios and he knew it belonged to Kaleb, it was the Island Kaleb was bound to he was seeing and there were trellis' and he and Kaleb were standing by one with his father Arman reciting rites and Kaleb was on his knees in front of him.

When he blinked a moment later Kaleb was actually on his knees in front of him. "I am a Prince of Archipelago, a Knight of Immaculate light, Guild Master of White Sea but ahead of it all, I belong to you Erik, I am your mate and I ask you to be mine by marriage as well as by Dragon, take my name become a Prince of Archipelago, bound to the island I am bound to," He said softly and Erik blinked in amazement, stunned, humbled…

Take Kalebs name? He would be Erik Pradesh, a prince?! Gods he was a criminal though!

"Don't, don't think that way about yourself Erik, I won't stand by and let you drag yourself down, I love you, I am yours and will always be and I'm happy with that, however I have responsibilities to my homeland that beg for this, lest the monarchy and nobility plague me to marry for title alone, I want you to have it, share it with me...please." Kaleb breathed and Erik pressed his lips together.

"Yes, of course, anything you want...I just want you happy, that's all that matters, I'll marry you, go through whatever I need to, bind myself to you every way possible and I'd still want more…" He replied finally and Kaleb grabbed his hand, pushing the gleaming band onto his finger with the white and Lavender gems that Erik realized were representing Kaleb.

Her narrowed his eyes. "I want one on you with an amethyst and a ruby…" He declared and Kaleb lunged up to kiss him "Anything...Gods you make me happy…"He said softly and Erik felt it, how much his agreement meant to his mate, how happy it had made him.

He'd wear a ring in his damn nose if Kaleb wanted him to, if it would make him happy, that happiness was all that mattered to Erik.

They left the balcony, paid their bill and returned to their room, where Kaleb showed Erik just how happy he was.

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Dark eyes narrowed on lacrima binoculars, watching as the Poison slayer and the tall blonde Prince rolled about on their large bed, as Kaleb pumped into the Dragon Slayer while the deadly mans legs wrapped around him, the two oblivious to the dark people watching them from the roof of the building across from their hotel.

"Boss wants that blonde something bad...fucking Cobra ain't no joke though, he claimed that Prince, you see that mark on his neck? Mean Cobra there ain't gonna let anybody touch that blonde and I've seen that asshole when he got mad... Shit, we need to track down the other ones, get north to Magnolia Ruger...Ruger?! Shit put those things down the fuck is wrong with you?!" Quince snatched the binoculars away, he wasn't happy, Ruger and him were supposed to be scouting the Light Dragon Slayer and his new mate, Xally Pradesh, Princess of Archipelago.

The blonde they had been watching was NOT the blonde they were supposed to be watching. Ruger was way too proud of how he'd fucked that Princes mouth. As if he'd accomplished something huge, he'd been bragging endlessly around the guild about the Guildmaster of White Sea sucking him off and how he'd seen Black Steel Gajeel chained and fucked by Incubus.

People at the guild cheered, laughed, but nobody wanted to linger on the topic, or hear him crow endlessly about it all and go into lewd details about the whole thing. A lot of people in the guild had friends or comrades dead by White Sea, or had been in guilds destroyed by that guild. Kaleb Pradesh had no small reputation, and Quince was there, that man had been drugged more than 20 men could have endured, was spelled, bound in manacles that would have killed a normal mage, sucked every drop of their magic out of them in minutes and he was in them for hours and was still defiant, still fighting the Succubus high priestess, to the point she had to strap a metal plate over his eyes to keep him from channeling his magic.

Ruger had been, in Quinces opinion, lucky. Kaleb had been too drugged, to heavily poisoned and spelled and drained to even be coherent when Ruger had done what he did, yet Quince had seen those pale eyes sharpen, seen them burning with a promise of revenge that had chilled Quince, yet Ruger thought he'd somehow conquered the man.

"Bet he thinks about me...wishes I'd had time to fuck him proper." Ruger said, smirking and letting Quince take the binoculars though he looked toward the room where Kaleb was currently in the arms of his mate unaware they were even out where they were. Or Quince hoped so anyway.

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Kaleb sank to the bed beside Erik, smiling, trailing kisses over Eriks throat, smiling when Erik scraped claws over his ass. "Gods I needed that..." Erik breathed out trying to catch his breath, Kaleb grinned, not fully in control of his own breathing yet, still damp with sweat himself. The ring glinted on Eriks hand and he smiled again, starting to reach to pull the hand to him so he could kiss it when he froze.

The instant change in Kaleb made Erik still before the Poison slayer was on his feet, yanking pants on but bothering with nothing else, barely ahead of Kaleb who had only pulled on his shorts, they rushed out the door of their hotel room.

 _'Do not kill him...I want him alive_ …' Kalebs voice was firm, adamant in his head but Cobra curled a lip defiantly, maybe he'd leave him technically alive..but not by fucking much if he could help it. Kaleb had caught the thoughts of one of the men who had assaulted him, used him in the coven lair and his whole being had frozen and honed in on the man. When it did, Erik was able to see everything, feel it, and follow Kalebs pinpointing magic through their bond, he even knew what the bastard smelled like because Kaleb had gotten way too familiar with it, would never forget it.

Once outside the two men sprinted past startled guests, Kaleb having the forethought to have grabbed his com lacrima before racing after Cobra was already pushing magic into it calling Laxus, the only person he could think of who one, could line things up so they would have a place to put this bastard, and two, could get down here to help them in a hurry. They were a good 4 hours from Magnolia to the east of Akane Beach. A few skips for Laxus, a large jump for Cristoff. Laxus came over the com as Kaleb followed Cobra through the hotels second tower.

He stilled, stretching himself and handing the com to Cobra while he felt for the man they were after.

"Cobra…" Laxus said quietly, coming onto the vid to see people and things zinging by and hearing Cobras angry snarl when he realized he needed Kaleb to lead him further, unsure just where in the damn building the man was.

"Ruger...one of the fucks who hurt Levy, Gajeel and Kaleb, Kaleb picked him up down here in Sugarmoon Bay, we need help, Sugartide Resort...I'm gonna melt his eyes out of his fucking head…" Cobra hissed, Laxus' eyes flew wide and he tossed the com to someone, Cristoff glaring into the vid screen.

"We're on our way Erik…" He snarled and Cobra glared at him.

"You better not fucking try to stop me from doing some damage…" He warned.

"They may not but I will, Erik...I want him alive, I mean it." Kaleb said firmly and Erik growled angrily, trying to get a beat on the man without his mates help wasn't working, there were too many scents, too many people.

"I won't kill him." He vowed and Kaleb nodded, letting his pinpointing magic clarify for Cobra and the Dragon Slayer snarled.

"Rooftop, he's on the roof but they're getting ready to leave...they were watching us…" He added the last without really meaning to, picking up Rugers twisted thoughts and almost recoiling.

The bastard actually believed he'd made an impact on him? That somehow he would...want him after what he'd done? The greasy vile sick twisted pig thought Kaleb was..impressed?! Cobra honed in then as the thoughts Kaleb was getting finally guided his own magic and he locked on to who Kaleb was hearing.

Snarling he ran to the nearest elevator, Kaleb close behind him and they took it up, finding an access staircase to the roof and Cobra flung the door open meeting a startled Quince whose mouth fell open.

Cobra hit the man so hard he sailed back and crashed into the cement wall of the stairwell cracking it and leaving a deep indentation, crumpling to the floor as the Poison slayer raced for the staircase.

At the top of the stairs was Ruger, wide eyed, the man turned and slammed the door shut rushing back out onto the roof as Cobra hit the door with a roar, ripping it off it's hinges and flinging it aside.

Ruger only got about ten strides before Cobra was on him, tackling him to the ground, slamming a fist into the cuff of his shoulder, fracturing it with a resounding set of crunching sounds,and he reveled in the sound of the man screeching in pain.

"You filthy fuck, you messed with MY mate, you know who I am! You know what I do to people who don't even really piss me off! I'm going to rip your kidneys out and make you fucking eat them before I let you die!" He snarled in the mans ear, letting his venom drip from his fangs and burn holes in the mans cheek as he screamed, Cobra twisting his shirt tight on his broken shoulder.

"Erik….stop." A calm voice called.

"You hear me you son of a bitch?! You don't even know what pain is but I'm going to teach you for what you did, you like watching me? I'm gonna make you pay for that shit too you sick fuck!" He snarled, Rugar shrieking as more venom ate into his flesh dribbling from Cobras lips, Cobras knee in his back threatening to snap his spine.

"Erik!" The call was verbal and mental and Cobra stilled, looking back over his shoulder. Kaleb standing nearby.

"I want a piece of him…" Erik growled.

"I may still give it to you. You've already done more damage than I wanted you to though…" Kaleb said in a soothing tone.

Cobra growled, pushing off the shaking, groaning man who tried to move to brush at his face, when he turned to sit up though Kaleb grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him clean up from the ground, holding him up by his shirt, feet unable to reach the ground, fabric pressing into his shattered shoulder. Ruger whimpered but twisted his face into a sneer.

"Shit...wouldn't let your dog kill me huh blondie? Want another taste of me don't you?" He sneered and Cobra snarled, lunging, Kaleb barely catching his mate, almost dropping the sneering man as he did so.

"Aww come on Cobra, I saw you two, I know he was giving it to you good but maybe he wants a man that's got some depth perception and not as many scars huh? Shit you've had a whip on you a few ti...i..i..n-n-no...NO!" Rugar started flailing then, eyes glazed over and he screamed in terror flailing at the air wildly. Kaleb dropped him, stepping back and letting the man screech and swing at nothing, scream and kick frantically.

Cobras eye widened, watching the man, Rugers soul was drowning in terror, he was...fighting something...his worst possible nightmare...he believed it was there, had come up behind Kaleb and was attacking him. The man pissed himself as he screamed again.

Kaleb looked at Cobra, cool, calm and Cobra realized he'd done it, had planted that delusion in Ruger.

"Now, I'm going to let him contend with that for a bit until…" As if on que Ruger made a strangled sound and fainted, falling in the puddle of his own piss. Kaleb smiled coldly. "Until he passes out. He should stay out for a while, those faints usually last, the mind can't recover fast from those…" Kaleb said and looked back at Cobra.

"Shit Kaleb…" He breathed at his mate and Kaleb drew a breath.

"Still gonna marry me?" He asked with a faint smile.

Cobra smirked. "I'm buying you a ring soon as I find a good jeweler…"

He was still the somewhat….dark...person he'd always been, and would freely admit, seeing his mate reduce Ruger to a pissing sniveling passed out in his own mess heap on the ground was a serious turn on.

When Cristoff reached them, dragging a crumpled Quince behind him by his collar, he smirked, clearing his throat, finding the pair kissing a little ways from Rugers messy form.

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"I'm not interested in anything he fucking KNOWS, we have the other one for that, the one that didn't rape Levy, was only IN the lair with the Coven, who didn't do anything but watch, we can get information from his ass, I want Ruger...want him to FEEL a little of what he did to Levy, to Kaleb…" Gajeel was growling, glaring at Laxus who was standing in the unhappy position between the Iron Slayer and the cell holding Ruger beneath Fairy Tails Guild Hall.

Kaleb walked past Gajeel then, Laxus didn't stop him and Gajeel stopped, staring, watching his brother in-law walk to the front of the cell and turn to look back at him.

"I can make that happen...I can put those experiences right into his mind, he'll go through them and they'll be every bit as real to him as if he went through them himself, he'll feel every touch, smell every scent, taste every vile taste…" Kaleb said darkly. "And I don't have to lay a finger on him...I can break him….ruin him...destroy the very base of who he is and reduce him to a drooling vegetable Gajeel….I plan to make sure he pays...he can't endure what I can do, my magic hits like Bickslows, there is no bracing, no training that can save or spare him. I'll take what he knows that we can use, Bickslow and I can rip it all right out of him." Kaleb said.

Gajeel stilled, looking at Bickslow beside him, his mates hand on his shoulder, crimson eyes on his brother.

"Levy wants to see him…" A soft voice said and Laxus looked up, finding his mate standing on the stairs looking down at them. His eyes softened on her, tense as he was, he hated being the one to stop Gajeel, the Iron Dragon had every right to want to tear Rugar to pieces, hell Laxus wanted to himself. Seeing Emi made him feel better, he'd about give anything to feel her hands in his hair, hold her, breathe in her scent and drown in it at the moment.

Gajeel narrowed his eyes, looking at Bickslow.

 _'Shrimp...you sure_?' He called out and felt her reach back soothingly, assuring both men she needed to do this.

Both stepped back and Levy came down around Emzadi and slid right into Gajeels arms, Bickslow wrapping his around her from behind.

Cobra came down as Emzadi stepped down the last few steps, smiling faintly at her mate, reaching up with both hands to push her fingers through his hair and lean into him, letting him wrap his arms around her and bury his nose in her hair and kiss her temple.

Cobra passed them, locking gazes with his own mate who stood tall by the cell door.

 _'Are YOU ok_?' He asked softly and Kaleb closed his eyes for a moment letting Cobra in completely. He wanted to kill Ruger, and meant to watch him die whether he did it or someone else did, but he was, truly, ok, as long as Cobra was there, and with him, he was ok.

Cobra smiled faintly, he was there, would be right at Kalebs side through hell or high water, wanted to be holding him right then, but Kaleb needed to show strength for Gajeel, who still felt guilt about not being able to save him, save them both from what they went through.

Gajeel got that Kaleb, like himself, was able to separate himself from what had happened, it wasn't the first time Kaleb had been tortured. Like Gajeel he could say honestly he had endured worse than what had happened in that lair, but both men were guardians, protectors and Kaleb understood why Gajeel felt guilty. He felt it himself for not being able to free Gajeel, spare his brother in-law that whole experience. He held tremendous power, had worked hard for every bit of it and its mastery, being powerless like he'd been was a horrible experience. Watching family suffer with him...so much worse..

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Rotbull sat back on the rooftop, looking across at Fairy Tails guild hall smirking, nodding to the two mages beside him. "Soon as they're clear of him, get him out…I don't give a shit what happens to fucking Ruger, dumb ass disobeyed orders and pulled Quince into this shit. There's Blondie now, means he's left the princess alone at their place so go handle her, you three, get that Light slayer, and unleash the Hellborne…" He smirked. The mages moved quickly, dropping the talisman on the magic pentagram already drawn earlier using blood from random fairies drawn over the last months.

When the talisman hit it the circle flared and the talisman hissed, the metal surface bubbling and expanding and as it burst, the lights went out all over Magnolia.

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The guildhall was it's usual busy chaos, only a few knew about the Nightmare mages being held, one in Makarovs office, bound in magic canceling ropes by Virgo, the other in the cell beneath the guild, still unconscious from his tangle with Kaleb hours earlier.

It was just after dinner, and for a mid-October day that meant the sky was dark, the sun down and moon high. The beer was flowing, Cristoff was standing at the top of the stairs to the hall below the guild where the cell was talking quietly with Bickslow.

Levy had gone back out to sit and eat dinner with Gajeel and Lucy, Cobra following close behind, while Bickslow, Kaleb and Cristoff prepared to combine their skills and extract the information they needed from the captive mages.

That was when the lights went out, every source of light, gone in an instant. Dragon Slayers snapped their heads up, a scent none but Cristoff and Emzadi were familiar with suddenly heavy in the air.

Levy frowned, she had scripted light and it wouldn't take, the spell went off, there was less than a second of dim light then gone.

She was lifting her light pen but Gajeel caught her wrist and pushed it down.

"No...it won't work, stay put shrimp...there's something...bad...outside…" He said and his words were even dampened, dulled, fell flat in the oppressive, dark still stagnant air. Like sound wouldn't even carry.

He rose from the table, starting toward the side door, his pace increasing as he moved, he saw Natsu and Cobra running for the double doors at the head of the guildhall, Rogue, wide eyed, heading for the ones at the back.

The Dragon Slayers hit the doors and locked them, Kaleb, Cristoff and Bickslow running into the hall.

"Hellborne." Cristoff hissed, hearing Emzadi snarl behind him, her orange eyes churning, and, like Cristoffs, one of the only lights in the hall. Gajeel saw them, heard the snarls, deadly growls, scented them tapping their dragon force and reached for his own, Iron scales flowing to cover his skin.

"What is it?!" Cana demanded, fear distinct in her voice as they heard a scrapping, squelching and gurgling noise and the doors Natsu held groaned suddenly, the wards and rune protections covering the guild suddenly lighting, flashing wildly and adding their own haunting terrifying sounds, hisses and whines as protections burned away, flared only to fizzle or slammed up and held but moaned under the pressure of whatever was outside.

The smell was horrendous, like old death, and it filled the hall wafting in through the small cracks here and there. People gagged, fear became palpable as Kaleb ran across the guild with Cristoff to join Cobra and Natsu in holding that door shut.

After a few moments, Kaleb could sense the panic rising in some of the guild members, in people outside, in his own mate who stood close to him glaring, trying not to gag on the stench.

He lit up, light flowing through him as he drew his magic, let it build, fed into the purest light he contained.

"You burn it back, we rush out and attack it, Natsu stay back, only light works on these things, it will eat your fire and get stronger…" Cristoff said, leaning to kiss his mate reassuringly when he got a dark look of defiance and refusal.

"No, Cris...no way I'm sitting by while you fight…" Natsu growled and Cristoff drew a breath.

"There's no time Natsu, your magic won't work on this thing, it consumes and gains strength from fire, you touch it with your magic, you help it hurt us, you touch it with your skin it burns your flesh off with poisons and toxins." Cristoff said.

Cobra frowned, Kaleb meeting his eyes. "Same for you love...your magic will only feed it...only light works against it…" He said and Cobra shook his head.

"I still have sound magic, I can do some damage...I'll stay back a little, but I won't leave your side Kaleb, never…" He rumbled stubbornly and Kaleb smiled faintly, nodding, eyes starting to blaze and the mages near him, except for Cobra, stepped back as his magic built to the point he was uncomfortable to be near.

The light burning through him lit up the whole Guild Hall, flooding light out through the windows and the cracks in the door, the being outside hissing.

"Your little light will not save you…" a booming voice echoed. "I will feast on your souls…" it declared.

Bickslow stepped up with Kaleb, eyes glowing. "Like fucking hell you will…" he growled.

Kaleb glanced at Cristoff, whose eyes were now molten silver, dark blue scales forming on his arms.

"Ready Cris? Emi?" He asked. Emzadi came up behind Bickslow, the light radiating from her the purest blaze of the sun.

"Lets dispose of this thing and find who brought it…" She sneered, Laxus right behind her.

The light pulsed from Kaleb and the doors blew open, Cristoff yanking Natsu behind him as Kaleb charged forward, letting a blinding wave of light precede him.

They raced outside, the being was immense, about the size of a two story house, seething, writhing blackness, it's surface hissing and popping and releasing noxious fumes.

When they got outside they fanned out. Emzadi bringing down immense beams of sunlight that tore right through it and made it shriek, all the slayers ducking their heads at the noise but still fighting as blobs flew off the thing, forming smaller versions of it, and suddenly pulses of magic not from the beast started flying at them and Kaleb deflected one glaring past the being to the the roof of a building across the square.

"Rooftops! There are mages!...Nightmare mages!" He shouted.

At his shout Gajeel and Natsu exploded from the Guild and raced around the beast, heading for those roofs. Gajeel narrowed his eyes, suddenly hearing and smelling something he knew he shouldn't.

Blood...familiar, he drew a deep breath and looked sharply toward Bickslow all but mentally shouting to his mate.

 _'Tell Kaleb, I smell blood, Nightmare has one of ours!'_

Bickslow relayed the information and Kaleb narrowed his eyes, not needing to glance at Cobra who grabbed Laxus' shoulder.

"We'll do more good kicking Nightmare asses…" He said and Laxus nodded, loathe to leave his mates side but he knew she could handle herself and that Cobra wasn't any happier leaving Kaleb right then.

They ran after Gajeel, Cobra dodging sideways as someone on a roof shot at him and he nodded to Laxus, leaping and grabbing the storm drain on the roof edge and hefting himself up to charge the startled mage as Laxus continued after Gajeel.

Gajeel rounded a corner and was immediately jumped, engaging three burly men and seeing four more holding a pissed off, but very beaten, Sting down as a creepy looking woman who almost looked like a man held a jar to a tube rammed right into Stings neck, his blood filling the jar.

"Xally! Don't...mmph...I'll get this! They got Xally!" Sting was snarling, gagging. Gajeel could smell familiar toxins, toxins he'd endured himself, they'd drugged Sting in addition to attacking him and beating him badly.

"Got it! Three more!" The man/woman yelled and vanished, three more of the mages vanished, the rest fighting Gajeel and Sting who was getting to his feet, throwing the two remaining on him off with a roar and turning on them.

They fought off their attackers finally and Sting started running back toward his apartment, Gajeel right behind him assuming Laxus was soon to follow but the moment Gajeel and Sting rounded the corner ahead, the man/woman re-appeared with 2 mages on either side of her and all 5 tore into Laxus who found himself deafened by a sound mage, fighting for real vision due to an illusion specialist and trying to deal with an Earth mage, a water mage and the leader who held an empty jar a wicked looking long thick needle and tube.

With no support, already tired, they finally managed to stun him, the illusionist getting him to think the Earth mage was coming on his left when he was really behind him and the Earth Mage crushing Laxus between two massive boulders.

He wasn't out though, and even pinned and partially grounded he damn near knocked the leader out, it took three of them to hold his arm still enough she finally was able to get the needle into a spot that bled and even then wasn't able to get much into the jar before Laxus was able to call down one of his bigger attacks and shove one of the boulders a little ways. That, coupled with the fact a beam of blinding light had just cut through the darkness illuminating them all in blazing heat that was distinctly something his mate would use, indicating she was approaching and fast, had them scrambling.

"I need the Solar slayer team NOW, we have the Lightning slayer temporarily pinned and she's closing on us, HURRY!" The leader barked into a com and barely a minute before Emzadi rounded the corner at the end of the block, eight more mages appeared and when Emzadi came into view they, along with the 4 that had been fighting Laxus, and the Leader attacked her.

They had mages chosen specifically to counter her abilities but it wasn't enough, especially with her Mate snarling and making the boulders shudder and electrocuting anyone he could see whenever the Earth mage let up even slightly on all her grounding spells.

The water mage got hit by a solar beam and the leader cursed, diving sideways as the man was vaporized into oblivion and her clothes caught fire on the side of her body that was too close.

"Solar Dragons Hidden art, Solar Storm!" Emzadi roared and heat and light so intense the buildings closest to her had their outer layers scorched away and the mages looking too much toward her were rendered blind.

Four of them were killed in the wave of intense white and blinding fire that radiated out from the Solar Dragon Slayer but, a new mage appeared, casting on her from behind and she screamed, Laxus roaring between the boulders at the same time, lightning crackling and snaking everywhere nearby him.

"Fucking idiots…" Rotbull cursed as the Solar slayer went to her knees, he held his hand out, a jar in it and blood streamed from Emzadis eyes, ears and mouth to him in a nightmarish ribbon, flowing into the jar and filling it.

"Ok, move fast, she's gonna burn the shit I put in her out fast and kill all of you, the others have about killed the Hellborne already, didn't last half as long as we hoped so fucking MOVE!" Rotbull snarled into the com and triggered the teleport lacrima on his hip and vanished.

The leader grimaced, having barely put her burning clothes out before she hit her own lacrima and disappeared. A moment later Laxus hit the earth mage so hard with so much electricity the woman crumpled after her body convulsed a few times and hit the ground steaming and dead.

The boulders ground over the cobblestones and Laxus dragged himself clear, stumbling loose and scrambling to where Emzadi knelt, holding her ears and snarling with every breath.

He slid to a stop on his knees in front of her pulling her roughly against him choking on the foreign desire to just cry with relief that she was ok. The intense heat rolling off of her he took in without thought. He was her mate now and her magic coursed through him with his own protecting him from the deadly heat she produced.

"Tell me you're ok...I felt you being hurt…" Emzadi growled arms tight around him and Laxus pushed his face into her neck, breathing in her honey and sunlight scent. "I'm fine...just pissed...I need to kill that fucker for hurting you…" He growled, feeling her shudder at the sound and hum back at him.

"We need to get back to the others, make sure the Hellborne is down…" She said softly though neither of them moved for a few moments. Laxus finally stood, pulling her up with him, knowing it wasn't likely he'd be ok with her being out of his sight for a while.

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Sting was racing down the street toward his apartment, panic stricken when he finally spotted Xally running toward him.

"Sting!" She gasped out and he snatched her right off her feet as soon as he reached her, crushing her against him, her arms and legs wrapping around him tightly as he showered her face and neck with kisses.

"You're ok...fuck...you're never allowed out of my sight again...shit…" He growled against her mouth, kissing her frantically. She didn't argue, too grateful he seemed unharmed except for some blood on his arm, the sleeve of his jacket ripped off.

Gajeel stopped, catching his breath and looking over the pair, he could feel Bickslow was fine, angry about something but fine. Then Levy was with Lucy, also safe, unharmed, worried about him and he let both his mates know he was fine and so were Sting and Xally and to let everyone know before turning and frowning at not seeing Laxus.

Hurrying back with Sting and Xally right behind him, they were quick to rejoin the others, including those who managed to defeat the Hellborne. Doing a quick headcount Gajeel found one was missing, and rather than stopping, he kept going, following the anger pulsing heavily through their bond. It didn't take long before he was shoving the door to Markarovs door open, finding Bixlow curled in on himself against a wall, knees up and arms folded to cover his eyes.

He was cursing up a storm, rocking in place, and from the state of the room, Gajeel could tell that his fury had carried over to cause material damage.

Dropping to his knees before him, Gajeel was quick to grip his mates arms.

"Bix? Babe? What happened?" His voice was firm but calm, and he didn't have to look to know that Levy was now beside him, having followed him when she saw him run through the main hall.

"It's us. I don't know how yet, but it's fucking us, the family!" Bickslow snarled, lifting his head to let it fall back against the wall with a solid thud without opening his eyes.

"Love, please, open your eyes, you know we're safe, what happened? We need to know." Levy said soothingly, running her fingers through his hair and across his face.

Taking a deep breath, Bix cracked his eyes open, letting them see the flickering of green that showed the little bit of control he had left was strained. "I had gone outside with the others, to fight the Hellborne and the Nightmare assholes, when...I don't know...something didn't sit right with me, call it instinct, or whatever, but I knew something was wrong. Knowing that the others could handle that hellish bastard, I came back here, something told me that I needed to get back to this one fucker, Quince I think his name was. In the rush to protect the guild, he had been left alone, it didn't feel right. So I came back, and I had just gotten into the room to see another mage here, grabbing the one we had tied up. I just barely caught the new mage saying that they had gotten what they needed from the Pradesh family before they disappeared. The damn mage had a teleportation lacrima, and they fucking got away!" Bix snarled, gripping his hair in his hands, his eyes instinctively falling shut once more.

Hearing footsteps coming down the hallway, Gajeel and Levy looked over their shoulders to find Markarov standing at the doorway, Kaleb and Cristoff behind him.

"We've swept the area, the other Nightmare mages are gone, the Hellborne is dead and back to where it belongs. The majority of the guild has been sent home, but the rest of us are meeting downstairs. Bring Bickslow." Markarov instructed them, before turning and making his way back downstairs, leaving Kaleb and Cristoff to calm their brother.

When they made it back downstairs, they found that all of the dragon slayers were present, with their mates, and Freed and Mira were at the bar manning it, setting out steins of beer and tumblers of whiskey. Cristoff and Kaleb were quick to join Cobra and Natsu at the table they were leaning back against, taking the drinks that were held out to them wordlessly.

Gajeel, Bickslow and Levy settled at a table close by, Levy quickly being pulled in Bixs lap as he buried his face into her neck. On the other side of the table Laxus was straddling the bench with Emi pulled into his chest, Sting and Xally next to them. Rogue and Wendy settled in at the bar facing the others while Markarov hopped up onto the bartop with a tired sigh.

"Alright brats, how do we want to do this? Shall we drag Ruger up and deal with him first? Or do we want to go over what happened out there, and what Nightmare has been doing?"

"Ruger first...we need answers and what happened out there? Just makes that more obvious." Laxus said firmly, his hold on Emi was firm, he'd FELT that Nightmare mage take her blood, compared to what she'd gone through, the big needle they had forced into him was pleasant.

Nothing in his life had prepared him for how much his mate would mean to him when he finally found her. That she was his best friends sister, a person he'd nearly met several times, barely missed over and over, just added to it. He loved her, like he'd never loved anything in his life including himself. More than that, they were beyond driven, both of them being Dragon Slayers, Emzadi a true Dragon Queen maybe more compelled than he was.

His beloved mate, his Emi, was pregnant, they hadn't told anyone yet, she was barely more than a month along, but this, what had just happened, terrified him. His mate carried his unborn child now, and those bastards had her blood...they could find out...he had to know what was happening.

At Laxus' train of thought Cobra gripped Kalebs hand so hard he sucked a sharp breath in but his eyes flew wide as he followed his mates prompting, both men looking at Emzadi who sat calmly in Laxus' embrace, the Lightning slayer gently rubbing a small circle over her belly with his hand.

"Agreed, information is key, Bix? Cris?" Markarov looked at the brothers, they had done this before, extracted information like this. It was illegal, in Bosco and in Fiore to do what they were about to do, direct abuse of their magic. None of them even hesitated.

A few minutes later Ruger was brought in and Gajeel bound it to the floor, iron encasing the legs and bolting into the floor. Kaleb stood in front of Ruger, Cristoff took his place behind the man and Bickslow stood just behind and to the side of Kaleb.

Looking at his brothers Cristoff waited, hands raised.

"What we are about to do none of you sees, hears or knows about...clear?" Kaleb demanded.

"Just enjoying some good whiskey Kaleb, do whatever, I'm busy." Makarov said lifting his glass toward the Mindbender. Kaleb smiled and nodded to Cristoff whose hands lit and settled on Rugers shoulders.

The healing magic did it's work swiftly, mending the broken bone, tissue, restoring the body as Kaleb narrowed his eyes and brought Ruger out of the nightmares he'd trapped the man in.

Ruger opened his eyes, blinking and groaning when he felt his bonds.

"Hey gorgeous...ha...I like me a little kink, bondage with you and your little brother and….: He turned to acknowledge Cristoff who met his eyes and curled his lip baring a fang and growling in disgust at the man. "Oh and blue eyes too, oh man, Boss is gonna be jealous I got you first blue eyes, he's been wanting you, wants all you….got his taste of the soul mage, and you blondie, but he hasn't had as much Pradesh as I have and means to fix that starting with you blue eyes…" He chuckled shaking his head. "Shit and with an audience too! I feel all...all...uh…" Gajeel and Cobra had both stepped a little closer, and were glaring menacingly from behind their mates at Ruger.

"Ruger, to be clear, before we start because you won't have a mind left when we're done." Kaleb said and leaned forward, narrowing his eyes and smiling the next words came only in Rugers mind, the only other person hearing them was Cobra.

"You did nothing in that lair, you meant nothing to me then and you mean less to me now, I won't remember you, it was a moment of torture, nothing of significance, I've endured worse. Rotbull chose to leave you behind, sick of your bragging and disgusted by your obsession with me. My mate put a poison into you, into your companion, no cure, you're already dying, I'm just going to make sure every moment until death takes you is the worst of your life...because you hurt my family, and nobody hurts our family...nobody." He smiled faintly as Rugers eyes widened and narrowed then looked at Cobra who grinned wickedly and ran his tongue over his fangs.

"I ain't tellin you nothin, I have a loyalty blood seed in me, you ca...nnngh! AHHHHH!" He shrieked as Bickslows eyes lit and the Seith twisted his soul inside him. As he screamed Cristoff narrowed his eyes and nodded to Cobra as his magic flared, keeping the man from going into cardiac arrest while Cobra stepped forward, ramming his dripping claws into Rugers neck.

Ruger convulsed a few times then threw up the black chunk of the loyalty seed that Cobra stepped on and crushed waiting until Rugar stopped gasping and looked up again before smiling at him, running his hand over Kalebs chest before stepping back beside his mate. Kaleb gave him an affectionate look before turning stone cold eyes back on Ruger.

"Now that's out of the way, lets find out what you know…." Kaleb said and Bickslows eyes lit at the same time Kalebs did.

Ruger talked in an emotionless tone, unable to hide anything, Bickslows magic compelled him at the soul level to think of everything they needed to know that he knew, Kalebs magic making certain he spoke every bit of it to them clearly as each thing came into his head. If his soul retreated, Cobra would hear what he was planning and warn Bickslow who would increase the force of his hold.

Three hours they worked him, making sure every question he could answer was covered.

They were hindered by Rugers rank in his guild, he wasn't privy to the whole plan, the basics he knew, were that Nightmare needed blood from every Pradesh, and then their mates. There was a plan, something big, to take the family out, use them for something big the guilds highest ranked people were all working toward. Rotbull, Rugers boss, he would know tremendously more.

Nightmare had plans for Fairy Tail too, to weaken the guild, kill Makarov, they had planned to kill Laxus too until he'd mated with Emzadi and somehow suddenly became important. They were going to capture and sell the members with the looks that would make them valuable, Erza already had someone offering a huge amount of money for her, so did Lucy.

Gajeel quirked a brow when Ruger divulged a bidding war going on over him, someone wanted him as a slave, wanted him badly, more than one person and Nightmare was negotiating the details of his pending abduction, letting the bidders fight over who would have the final say so.

Kaleb was being quarrelled over too, Rotbull wanted him and so did someone else of high rank in the guild, all of the Dragon Slayers had bounties on them, even Cobra.

As they wrapped it up, Kaleb let Bickslow take his piece and knew when his brother rended the mans soul, weakened it and set him up so if he even thought about Levy or Gajeel, the pain would be horrific.

Bickslow stepped back, turning into Gajeel, gripping his mates face between his hands and kissing him long and deep before smiling darkly at him and turning to watch Cristoff frown, trying to keep Ruger alive, bringing the man back twice until he learned to keep his thoughts off Gajeel who stood smiling, squeezing Bickslows hand watching what the Seith had done.

Kaleb looked at Makarov "You want to see this?" He asked and Makarov gave one nod, taking a slow drink of his whiskey.

Kaleb looked then to his mate. "I'm going to destroy him...put him down the worst way I know how...he won't be able to scream, and after a while he'll die, you can speed that or not, I'll let you choose." He told him and Cobra nodded. Kaleb turned back, eyes blazing and Ruger tensed hard in the chair, writhing, eyes wide, mouth open, agony and terror in every part of his face though he didn't make a sound.

Cobra watched for a few minutes, Cristoff stepped away, no longer needing to keep the man alive he stepped back to Natsu, accepting his mates comforting touches, the arms sliding around his waist and tucked Natsus head under his chin and held him while they watched Ruger writhe.

Levy stepped in between her mates, felt their arms close around her and Cobra shook his head, his arms around Kaleb, kissing his mates neck.

Nobody else stepped forward, though Gajeel knew he was welcome to, and Cobra did too, they sat silent and watched as what Kaleb had done undid the man until finally his body couldn't handle it anymore and he seized, groaned and went limp and still.

Cristoff narrowed his eyes, not needing to touch the man. "He's dead." He said firmly, any Dragon Slayer in the world could have said it, Rugers heart had stopped, breathing stopped, he was dead.

Sighing, Markarov hopped from the bar, turning his head one way, then the other, sharp cracks sounding as he popped his neck before fixing his gaze on the gathered group.

"From here, we will not speak of this unless or until absolutely needed. We'll continue working on gathering information when possible from any Nightmare mage we find. For now, we have a wedding coming up soon, let us focus on that, and continue to build memories that will help battle the dark times ahead."

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The day had arrived.

It was being considered the biggest day of the year, possibly the decade. And only one lucky journalist was being allowed to document it, while under multiple threats of dire circumstances should anything not be shared correctly. Thankfully, Jason from Sorcerers Weekly was too excited to let the threats slow him down.

The last recorded moment of a joining like this was dated hundreds of years ago, and now, it was going to happen again. But for now, they needed to focus. The guild was, quite simply, packed. An endless ocean of chairs were set up to flank a vivid crimson runner leading from the main doors of the guild to the stage where an arch decked out in black roses, small blue hydrangeas, and orange lilies sat silent and waiting. Lucy's spirit, Lyra, was the only one currently on the stage, settled comfortably while strumming away at her harp, providing soothing background music for those already in the guild.

Groups of people were scattered around the hall, murmuring, not chancing more than a quiet conversation for the fear of the wrath from the maid of honor, and the resident demon matchmaker. As it was, the fact that the guild was as quiet as it was, was a bit unnerving. Even the citizens out in the city of Magnolia were aware that this was something that simply did not happen, and it was only a matter of time before an explosion of some kind would happen. Whether it be a good or bad explosion was yet to be seen. Instead, for now, they took advantage of the quiet, and got as much as they could done in whatever time they had before chaos once more reigned supreme.

In the guild hall though, a busty blonde, with chocolate brown eyes, dressed in simple shorts and a crop top was quick to dart along the walls, her observant eyes taking in every little detail of the set up. The chairs had been beautifully woven by Laki, their resident wood make mage, with swirls and blossoms adorning the chair backs. The support pillars placed throughout the hall were decorated with garlands of flowers, silver ribbon laced throughout. More garlands hung from the rafters, the scent gentle and soothing, even to a dragon slayers nose. Little wooden tikis could be seen dotted throughout the flowers, similar to that of a game of hide and go seek, while the gleam of iron could be seen here and there throughout the hall as well.

Purposely placed for if a certain dragon slayer got the munchies.

Running her gaze over the set up one more time, Lucy darted behind the bar into the kitchen, giving a quick wave to Cana who would be manning the bar for the night, already wearing her own halter, knee length bridesmaid dress. When the bridal party had been selected, Levy had come up with the idea of having Cana take over the bar so fun could be had by all, and Cana had jumped on it with a big grin. Casting a quick look around and smiling at the preparations she saw there. Stacks after endless stacks of plates and mountains of silverware were lined along one counter, and before even looking, she knew there was a rune barrier in place to protect said dishes from any possible knock from anyone.

Natsu had been downright banned from the kitchen when he had offered to help with set up, and the runes at the doors and windows reflected that band. They weren't taking any chances. In the hall behind the kitchen, she could hear idle chatter and knew the catering company that Markarov had hired from the city was also getting itself ready for the long night ahead. When Levy, Gajeel, and Bickslow had tried to protest due to the cost, Markarov had stopped them with a smile and raised hand, letting them know it was already being handled.

Virgo stood at the kitchens stoves and ovens, busily stirring and checking on various foods that smelled downright amazing, while Mira...Mira stood at the other end of the kitchen, farthest from the door, to protect the masterpiece she was working on. Even as she worked, Lucy could see the layered rune protections around her to keep others from unbalancing her.

"Dear gods Mira...they're all going to love it!" Lucy crowed, stepping closer to peer in awe at the over large four tier wedding cake that stood on the counter. Decorated in more of the same flowers that decorated the main hall, flowers lined and spilled in a waterfall from between the cake tiers, tiers held up by what could only be carefully molded pillars of iron. Small tikis, and various runes spun together and around the cake, even as the words 'Mind, Body, Soul' scrolled along in elegant hand writing on the bottom tier.

Simple, and elegant, and yet detailed in a way that captured each of the three mages that would be tying the knot that day. Stepping back with a deep breath, and lifting a towel to blot at the light sheen of sweat on her face, Mira turned towards Lucy.

"You think so?"

"Oh I know so." Lucy assured with a grin, staring up at the cake with hearts in her own eyes.

"Indeed, Miss Lucy is correct." A familiar voice stated from behind them. Rolling her eyes, Lucy turned to smile at Freed as he stood looking over the cake as well. "As usual, you have far outdone yourself Mira."

"Ah, Freed, could you-" Mira started with a grin.

"Of course. I saw Lucy come in here, and figured I'd check on things as well." Waving a quick hand, Freed reinforced the runes protecting the cake with a soft smile. "Now, shouldn't the maid of honor and one of the bridemaids be off and getting ready?" Freed asked cheerfully, wincing at the squeals, and quickly stepping to the side as they dashed by him. Sighing, he gulped hard against the ball of nerves in his own throat, trying hard to ignore the increasing weight in his pocket. Striding from the kitchen, he made sure to stop by Virgo for a moment.

"Thank you for your help with today Virgo, it means a lot to everybody."

"Of course, anything I can do to bring a bright smile to Princesses face." Virgo stated stoically. Letting out a quiet sigh, Freed simply shook his head before leaving to finish getting ready himself.

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Running footsteps could be heard as Lucy and Mira hurried down one of the side halls in the guild, leading to the large meeting room that had been temporarily made into a bridal suite for Levy and her bridal party. Shoving the door open, Lucy slid to a stop, not even upset about being run into by Mira right behind her.

Levy was purposely placed in a tall chair, a silver robe wrapped around her, and she was just...glowing.

Her bright blue locks were tastefully, carefully, loosely curled, tumbling around her face, a string of gleaming, small iron beads threaded throughout the curls, and a silver headband kept her hair out of her face. The small blue flowers, black roses, and miniature orange lilies decorated the headband above her left ear, and the grin that graced her face nearly had her face splitting.

Behind her, Cancer stood proudly, his long crab legs carefully tucked back to keep from hitting the other bridemaids in the room, even as he smirked at his keyholder, and her flabbergasted look.

"Oh my Mavis...Levy...you look...oh damn you're glowing!" Lucy exclaimed, hurrying further into the room, gripping her friends hands. Mira was quick to follow her, closing the door firmly behind herself. Looking at the crab spirit behind Levy, Lucy could only smile in delight.

"Another master piece Cancer, as always, thank you so much!" Lucy gushed. She was so excited, and she couldn't wait for the big reveal of Levy's wedding dress.

Months ago, when Lucy had first found out that Bix and Gajeel had proposed to Levy, she had lost her ever loving mind from excitement. She had always known that Levy would land Gajeel, Bix had come out of left field, but she was no less happy for her friend, and to be able to claim both of the men as not just mates, but husbands as well? She couldn't wait to see it happen.

Then Levy had asked her to be maid of honor, and Lucy had flat out fainted.

As time had passed, wedding plans started going full steam ahead, with Levy's chosen bridesmaids diving in with both feet, and leaving little left for Levy to worry about. But a number of months ago, the bridal party consisting of Mira, Erza, Evergreen, Xally, Emzadi, and Lucy had run into a snag with Levy.

The Dress.

One of the biggest things of wedding, the Dress.

The bridal party had gone to Crocus to find Levy's Dress, but for every dress that was tried on, there was something that just didn't feel right. By the time the sun was setting, and the group was heading back to the inn they were staying at for the night, Levy was nearly in tears. Lucy had already had to field one call from Gajeel and Bickslow, who were picking up on Levy's distress, assuring them that Levy was safe, just a bit emotional, as they weren't finding what she wanted.

Lucy was walking beside Levy, arm wrapped around the distraught blunettes shoulders, chewing on her lip as she tried to think of a solution. Xally was on her other side, and the rest of the bridesmaids were just behind them, chatting idly. They hadn't had any luck finding dresses for themselves either, so they were all a little down, but knew something would be found.

Levy had been kind in that as long as the dresses matched in the gun metal gray that she had settled on, the dresses could be designed to best suit their bodies and personal styles. But their best laid plans in spending a couple of days in Crocus, the first day to find Levy's Dress, and the second in finding the dresses for the rest of the bridal party had simply not happened. Tomorrow they had plans to go back to Magnolia, but right now they were tired, and frustrated at not finding anything.

Continuing to chew on her lip as they entered the inn, and turning to the small restaurant that was a part of it, Lucy froze as an idea made itself known in vivid neon colors in her head. Jaw dropping, she spun, looking over the others in the group who were now staring at her like she had grown a second head, she scrambled to say something to cover her reaction.

"Uh...You guys go on, I forgot something in my room, I'll be back in few minutes!" Lucy rushed out, before turning once more and darting off, leaving the others watching her, still confused. Hesitantly they continued on their way, picking up on the conversation they had been having.

Rushing up the stairs to her room, Lucy stumbled into her room, closing and locking the door before calling forth Virgo, who appeared with a bow.

"Punishment Princess?" Virgo greeted as she straightened.

"No, Virgo, no punishment, but I do need your help with something, or more my friend Levy does, if you're willing." Lucy explained, plopping down on the bed.

"Of course Princess, anything I can do to help."

"Levy is getting married in a number of months, and we're having trouble finding her the perfect dress. We've been through endless shops here in Crocus, but haven't found anything. Levy has also given us, her bridesmaids, free reign on the style of dresses we wear as long as the dresses match in color." Lucy explained, biting her lip in slight worry. She couldn't be feel relief at the rare smile that spread over Virgo's face.

"Do you have a swatch of the color Princess?"

Shoving a hand into her small pocket, Lucy pulled out the small square of silky cloth she had been given to use for comparison, and handed it over.

"I already have your measurements Princess, would you like me to get the others now?"

"Actually, I'd love for this to be a surprise, so how about you come out during one of our planning days at my place and you can get the measurements then without them knowing?" Lucy asked, elation and relief making her feel a little giddy.

"Absolutely Princess. Is there anything else?" Virgo asked with another bow. Lucy could only smile, she knew that Virgo was excited at getting back to get started on the dresses.

"No Virgo, that's it, thank you again so much for your help."

"Of course Princess. You should get back to the others before they wonder where you've gone." With that, Virgo disappeared in a burst of gold.

Now it was the day of the wedding, and Lucy was a touch on the nervous side. They had had multiple wedding planning days, and each time that that happened, Virgo had appeared to provide snacks and drinks, using that time to get measurements and a feel for the styles each woman liked. Lucy still remembered how much Levy had been worrying until Lucy had had to tell her that it was being handled. Thankfully Virgo had already delivered the dresses before heading for the kitchen, and after getting their own hair and makeup done, the bridesmaids had gotten into their dresses, with the exception of Mira and Lucy. Hurrying over to the last two dresses handing on a bar on the far side of the room, Mira was quick to hand Lucy hers before changing into her own dress, Lucy doing the same. Lightly tugging on different parts of the gowns to make sure they fell smooth against their bodies, Lucy and Mira turned to the others, smiling in delight at the different styles they each wore.

Evergreen wore her dress similar to her natural style, clinging to her curves and the hem of it falling to midthigh. Erza's dress had ended up being floor length sheath, the top turning into lace that wrapped around her neck while the back, well the back simply disappeared until the low of her back, leaving her arms free to move. Xally's dress was a strapless hi-to-low dress that swept around her in a gentle bell, while Emi's gown had been styled with a single strap that wrapped around her bust, and the rest of the dress fell in gentle folds to her knees.

Looking at Mira, Lucy had to admit that she loved the style that matched the purple gown she normally wore around the bar. Off the shoulder sleeves, with a snug bodice, and bell skirt that ended just past her own knees. Lucy's own dress was a halter top floor length sheath, with a split that started high on her left leg, allowing for her keys to be strapped to a ribbon around her upper thigh.

Taking a deep breath, and knowing that her own hair and makeup wouldn't take long with Cancer there, Lucy reached out for the last garment bag, draping it over her arms as she turned back towards Levy, who had slid off the stool, Cancer done with her. The others gathered around, impatience obvious on each of them. They had been pleasantly surprised at their own dresses, and couldn't wait to see what Virgo had come up with for Levy.

Lifting the bag, Lucy was quick to unzip it, grabbing the hanger to lift out the dress. Seeing Levy's brows furrow in confusion, Lucy bit her lip, but quickly shifted to gather the material to pull it over Levy's head, shifting and tugging where needed so the fabric fell around her smoothly. The gasps that sounded around her told Lucy that Virgo had indeed created another masterpiece, and with one last tug, she straightened, taking a step back and felt her own jaw drop as she saw the dress in its entirety for the first time.

Unlike the gun metal grey of the bridesmaids dresses, Levy's dress was made of a pearlescent silver, glowing against her pale skin. It sat off of her shoulders, and while snug in the bodice, the lace sleeves fell to mid-forearm in an angel wing style, and the skirt bellowed out in a style similar to her familiar favorite orange gown. The back though. The back is what made her look positively radiant. The sheer bow that had been attached to the middle of the back of the dress had been limp before, but now, now with it worn, some sort of spell had been placed on the dress, and the bow was upright. Large and designed to peak over her shoulders in a graceful arch, the bow gave Levy the appearance of having wings, fluttering lightly as she moved, and shimmering in the light.

A hint of color drew the eye to the sweetheart neckline of the gown, and Lucy could see miniature black roses, blue hydrangeas, and orange lilies edged in silver thread dancing along in a delicate swirl. Exchanging knowing glances, Mira and Lucy couldn't help but let out ecstatic squeals.

"They're going to swallow their tongues!"

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On the other side of the guildhall, in another meeting room, the grooms and groomsmen gathered, drinks in hand in various sprawls of relaxation, when every dragon slayer winced at the high pitched sound they heard, Kaleb chuckling as he picked up the sound from Cobra.

Bickslow was smiling again. After suffering from a bout of nerves worrying because Levy was worrying, Cristoff had stepped in and started kneading his brothers shoulders. When a Lunar Dragon Slayer gave a relaxing massage it involved soothing scents and a permeating air of calm that even had Natsu languidly twirling a flower around in his fingers.

It had drained the nerves right out of the room...Cristoffs magic was sometimes a gift from the Gods, seriously.

Gajeel was altering the density and flexibility of a chunk of iron in his hand, alternating between doing that and taking slow measured drinks of the spiced whiskey in his hand. 40 year old Angeal Reata spiced whiskey worth 70K jewel a bottle. It was smooth, burned sweet going down and had Laxus purring like a kitten.

"I just wish Van were here...and Farron, ya know?" Bickslow sighed for about the hundredth time. His father smiled, the King had arrived the day before and was making sure the men were all ready, knew what they were supposed to do, etc. Few were paired with their own mates for the ceremony, it was tradition groomsmen walked with bridesmaids after all and this was about ceremony, not everyone's comfort.

Besides that, Cobra smirked inwardly, Cana was tending bar not in the bridal party, so she wouldn't be getting paired with his fucking mate… she STILL liked to tease him about random touches, making a point of reaching out but not touching Kaleb. The mindbender mage ignored her, hearing her thoughts, knowing she was only teasing, but Cobra still got pissed, he was possessive, protective, loved his mate and damn it, the drunk needed to find her own man.

Cana was sort of doing that, Beck had caught her eye, but he'd been sent back to Archipelago to help with some migrating whales that had been injured in a storm so she'd been at loose ends lately and so had been driving the Poison Slayer nuts.

Hearing his mates thoughts drifting in the wrong direction Kaleb slid a hand behind him to grip a firmly muscled calf, digging his fingers in and bringing Eriks attention back to the present. The Poison Slayer rolled his eye but set a hand on his mates shoulder and squeezed, stepping forward to press himself against his seated mates back. The contact soothed them both. Kaleb had been quick to straddle a chair, arms folded on the back of it after he had pulled on the majority of his black tux. His gun metal gray shirt hadn't been buttoned up yet, and he couldn't help but let out a hum of approval when Erik slid a hand over his shoulder to drag his nails lightly across his chest.

Suddenly Bickslow let out a resigned groan, letting his head face to his hands to rub his temples. Barely a moment later Kaleb was wincing, and Erik was snarling.

"Oh come on, seriously?" Erik demanded, narrowing his eyes on Bickslow.

"What's the matter?" Laxus asked, letting his gaze drift from Erik to Bickslow then back to Kaleb who was now running a soothing hand over his arm.

"Apparently, because we weren't certain if Dad was going to make it in time or not until he arrived yesterday, Cristoff was going to be the one to give Levy away, but since Dad was able to make it, she'd like for him to give her away, and I seriously doubt he's going to tell her no." Bickslow sighed.

"Of course not, I'd be honored to." Arman spoke up, leaning back in the armchair he had claimed when he had arrived.

"So...how is this a problem?" Natsu asked, leaning back against the front of the couch in the meeting room, legs crossed, next to Sting who had his own legs stretched out and crossed at his ankles.

"Sooo because there is now an additional groomsman, Levy is having Cana step in to be an additional bridesmaid." Bickslow explained with a sigh.

"Ok?" Sting asked, lifting a brow.

"Cana has a tendency to tease Kaleb and Erik, because she wants to get her hands on Kaleb, but Erik is, to say the least, possessive." Freed explained, opening the door with Lucy's spirit, Cancer, following behind him.

"Oooh." Sting answered with a sympathetic wince.

"Don't worry, I'll keep her at bay." Cristoff answered, giving Natsu a soothing look at the pout aimed his way.

"Thanks Cris. The last thing we need is problems today." Gajeel sighed, rolling his head on his neck. He had settled into another armchair, and was leaning forward on his elbows, his own drink held in both of his hands. His own black button up shirt was already on, with his sapphire tie still untied, draped over his neck. He wouldn't lie, he was a bit nervous. He knew how important this was, and prayed that he wouldn't do anything to mess things up.

 _'You'll do fine love, just go with the flow, I'll help if needed.'_ Bickslows' voice murmured soothingly through their bond.

"What are you doing here Cancer?" Bickslow asked, watching as Freed shifted to the side, leaning against the wall by the door after closing the door behind Cancer.

"Princess sent me over to help with any last minute adjustments to hair or clothing, ebi." Cancer explained, lifting his hands with his scissors. Before anyone could say yay or nay to needing his help, he took one look at Bickslow and Gajeel and darted over. "No no no this won't work!" Quickly nudging Cristoff aside, Cancer quickly spun the chair Bickslow was in around, ignoring the yelp that escaped him and set to work on Bickslows hair, the sound to scissors snipping away among the snickers from others.

In his own armchair, Arman actually let himself relax with his own tumbler of whiskey in his hand, he let his gaze run over the men, all but one who were unofficial son-in-laws. Out of everyone in the room, Freed was the only one not mated to one of his children. Cristoff was now perched on the couch arm next to Natsu who had shifted to the couch cushion, while Sting remained stretched out on the floor. Laxus reclined on the couch on the other side of Natsu, Freed stood by Laxus, leaning against the wall between the couch and door, while Kaleb straddled a chair backwards with his arms braced on the back of the chair, and Erik wrapped around him from behind.

Bickslow and Gajeel, the men of the hour, were on the other side of the room, and he could tell that in spite of the reassurance from their family, they were nervous. After a few minutes, Cancer shifted away from Bickslow, moving towards Gajeel, only to have Gajeel lean away from him with a snarl.

"Oh hell no crab man, you ain't touchin' me!"

"Princess has asked that I help get the grooms and groomsmen ready for Levy, ebi." Cancer persisted, stepping closer. _Snip, snip_ went his scissors.

"I don't care! Ya ain't touchin' my hair!" Gajeel snarled, crawling over the back of his own chair.

"Babe, come on, it's painless." Bickslow spoke up, shifting to place himself in Gajeels line of sight. Blinking in shock, Gajeel felt his jaw drop at the sight of Bickslows' hair slicked back, showing off his eyes and the mark of his power.

"Bicks...you look...wow..." Gajeel breathed. Grinning, Bix stepped forward to pull Gajeel into a heated kiss, pressing him against the wall behind him. It was a few moments before they jerked away from each other, the sharp sting of electricity still dancing through them. "Dammit spark plug!" Gajeel growled, shooting a glare at the tall blond.

"Save that for the ceremony, it's almost time to get out there." Laxus stated, undaunted by the growl.

"Fine, but I swear crab man, you mess up my hair, and I'll-"

"I wouldn't finish that threat if I were you...Do you really want to be on the receiving end of one of Lucy's kicks?" Natsu cut in with a wince. Seeing the rest of the men in the room wince as well, Arman could only chuckle. Obviously those kicks were something that they had all been on the receiving end of at one point or another.

"Fine, just, be careful of my hair, I like its length, and don't want it messed with." Gajeel snarked, turning and plopping into a chair, giving Cancer access to his hair. A short time later Cancer stepped back, showing that he had pulled Gajeels hair back in a low tail, a few loose braids threaded through out it.

A knock sounded suddenly, and Freed was quick to open the door a crack, seeing Loke there.

"Hey Freed, it's time." Loke said with a smile. "How're things going in here?" Stepping back, Freed gestured for him to enter, closing the door behind him.

"As you can see we're almost ready." Freed said with a smile, reaching for his own coat hanging from the back of the door. The others had already shrugged into their own black coats, their crimson ties knotted neatly. The only difference was Gajeel and Bickslows tuxes were white with black button down shirts, and were working on knotting their own sapphire ties with help from Arman and Laxus. A moment later their white coats were handed to them and with deep breaths, shrugged them on. With a couple of quick brushes to rid the coats of possible lint.

"Are we ready?" Arman asked, looking around at those he saw as sons, happy to see the first of them walking down the aisle.

Exchanging slightly nervous glances, Bickslow and Gajeel nodded.

"As ready as we'll ever be."

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Lucys spirits were a little militant, she took her job as maid of honor seriously, and had issued orders her spirits meant to carry through so the Grooms were in place, everyone was seated, and Jason had been threatened by enough s-class and higher mages with various forms of torture and death even he was quiet as the music started.

Behind the scenes, just outside in the courtyard of the guild waiting for the doors to open, the Groomsmen had been lined up and the bridesmaids were joining them. Cana hurried around the corner of the building, the last bridesmaid since her dress had to be swiftly prepared by the incredibly talented Virgo. Erik narrowed his eyes as she approached and she blew him a kiss, heading for Kaleb and Erik with a smirk.

"Snake eye, you're going to hurt my feelings if you ignore me." She was caught by a large hand and looked up into playful dark blue eyes. Now, she'd managed to touch Cristoff, had her hands in that thick silky black hair of his, teasing Erik had inspired her to want more from Kaleb but seeing Natsus heated look she stepped right into Cristoff with a grin. "Oooo, I do get a tall dark and handsome date after all, well color me happy as a lark!" She declared, taking Cristoffs arm and pressing against his side as he led her to their spot in the line.

Natsu growled but under Lucys look he silenced himself just glaring at Cana in spite of his mates reassuring glance. He'd make the card mage pay if she got too handsy with his mate. It was an issue the Boscans all shared, this immunity to offense at being touched in general, he knew Cristoff wouldn't LET Cana grope him or anything, but damn it, he didn't like her being close enough to try.

Cristoff wasn't concerned, Cana didn't worry him, worse came to worse he'd tranquilize her, he had the ability to limit someones movements, it was needed as a healer to hold someone still and prevent them from hurting themselves during certain procedures. He would do it if he had to.

The doors opened, and gentle music drifted out from Lyras harp, prompting the first pair to step forward.

The procession was lovely, Freed and Mira starting the line, followed by Laxus and Emzadi, Sting and Xally, Erza and Kaleb, Evergreen and Cobra, Cristoff and Cana. After a short pause for a small music change, Natsu and Lucy entered the hall as well, and Jason managed not to scream out any "cool!" under Lokes withering glare and imminent threat of pain if he shouted any of his normal nonsense. Everyone took their places, Cristoff pointedly brushing his hand over Bickslows and Gajeels to push some calming magic into his brothers so they didn't look downright ill with nerves when Levy had her walk.

Rowan and Droy had the flowers open when the music for Levys entrance started and everyone stood. Gajeels hand closing on Bickslows as Arman walked Levy down the isle. The light flowing from outside had blinded them momentarily from seeing her clearly until she had passed the door, and when their sight cleared, their jaws dropped.

She was radiant.

The light from floating lanterns, and purposefully placed candles caused her gown to shimmer, and the bow on her back fluttered ever so slightly on its own, looking like wings above her bare shoulders. She looked exactly like the nickname many had given her over the years. A tiny, blue haired pixie. Full of wonder, magic, and a soul so pure that welcomed many, that had a strength to it that many would envy. Even as they both swallowed hard against the lump of emotions that lodged in their throats, they could see the joy and mischief dancing in her eyes.

They didn't see the knowing smirk from Arman, they didn't hear the smug chuckles from the bridal party, they only saw her. And when she finally reached them, climbing the few steps up to the bloom covered arch, the strangled breath they took in unison had her mingled scent teasing them. Gulping hard, again, they reached out to take her hands from Arman, connecting them in a small group, smiling at the gentle pulse of magic that flowed through each of them. Giving an acknowledging nod to Markarov who had stepped up to the podium placed under the arch of blooms as well, Arman turned to take an empty seat at the front, nearly sending poor Jason into a heart attack at sitting right next to a king.

Taking a deep breath, and blinking at the sting of joyful tears in his eyes, Markarov lifted his hands, gesturing for everyone to sit. After a moment of rustling, and shifting, everyone was settled, and clearing his throat, Markarov smiled radiantly.

"Family, friends...brats..." He paused at the chuckles that rumbled through the room with a smirk.

"As we can see, we are gathered here today for a very important reason. Before us, we have our fellow family and guild mates, Gajeel, Levy, and Bickslow, taking the next step in their lives together through marriage. Now, normally, we have the traditional ceremony that many have together, but today the ceremony will be including a bond that has not been seen in over six hundred years. So instead, this ceremony will be a mix of the traditional, the ancient, and us, well, winging it because this is Fairy Tail after all." Again, a round of laughter echoed through the hall.

"That being said, we have before us three mages who have experienced many things throughout their lives. Trials, tribulations, hardships that have only helped them to grow into the people they are today. Coming from their own different paths, making their own mistakes, and learning from those they met along the way, they found each other. Together they have grown further than any of them ever expected to. We are here to witness their union, give them our blessings and support in all of their lives together." Markarov paused for a moment, before continuing with the first part.

"Gajeel, Levy, Bickslow, do you commit yourself to each others happiness and self-fulfillment as a person? Do you promise to love, honor, and trust eachother in sickness and in health, in adversity and prosperity, and to be true and loyal to eachother so long as you all shall live?"

Gripping each others hands securely, they nodded, "We do." Was clear and steady, echoing through the quiet hall.

"I would certainly hope so." Markarov stated with a smirk, shrugging off the light glare he received from them. "Alright, Bickslow, your vows first please." Gulping, Bix nodded, turning towards Cristoff who stepped forward to deposit a ring into his hand. Releasing Gajeels hand for a moment, Bix lifted Levys' hand to brush a kiss across her wrist, nuzzling his cheek into her palm for a moment. He didn't even notice the flash that came from the photographer who had been brought along by Jason who caught the tender moment.

"Levana...we've known each other for years, and for many of those years, I've known that you were one of my soulmates. I didn't approach you before because, quite simply, I was afraid. I always saw you as so pure, so clean, your soul about blinded me the first time I saw it. It took you finding me in a place I had hoped you never would, and to approach me about things that I never expected for me to realize just how much of a difference you would make for me. I thank every star in the sky, every deity, every bit of destiny, or fate, that brought us together, because I know I'm a far better man than I used to be with you by my side. And I look forward to all of the adventures and years we'll have together now, as husband and wife." Bix finished firmly, his hands shaking ever so slightly from nerves as he slid the simple jewel encrusted band onto the hand closest to him, nestling it up against the engagement ring he had given her months before.

When he had approached his father about proposing to his mates, Arman had shocked him when without a word he had disappeared into his office only to return with a small box. In it had been his wedding band, as well as his wifes engagement and wedding bands. Bix had worried that the rings wouldn't fit, but when he slid the ring on, he felt the same warmth as before pulse from the ring as it adjust to fit Levys finger comfortably. Holding out his hand once more, Cristoff dropped the second ring into Bix's hand before stepping back into his place in the line of groomsmen. Turning to face Gajeel, he had to take a deep breath, knowing that these vows would hit a bit closer to home. Reaching out, he gripped Gajeels hand in a comforting manner, running a gentle thumb over his knuckles.

"Gajeel...to say that we've come a long way in a short amount of time, would be a massive understatement I think. We've had our hardships, we've had our differences. And, I'll admit, when I first met you, after you joined Fairy Tail, and I found out the circumstances in which you joined us, a part of me hated you." Feeling the jolt both physically and mentally, Bix kept his eyes on Gajeels, gulping hard against the pain that flashed there.

"But most of all I hated myself. From the first moment I saw you, I knew exactly who you were to me, and I couldn't understand how my second soulmate could do such a thing. But not too long after, I could only call myself a hypocrite. Who was I to judge after the things I helped make happen, that strained the bonds I had made in this guild. After that, going through the steps to redeem myself, and seeing you do the same, I understood you better. I started to see the man you really are, and that was when I started to fall ever harder for you. I'm proud to stand by your side as your husband, and your friend, to see what the following years bring us, and face every adventure head on with both of you." Sliding the ring into place, Bickslow felt the same pulse as before, and smiled as the ring sized itself to Gajeels finger.

Taking a shuddering breath to combat the emotions crashing through him, Bix stepped back with a nod to Markarov who cleared his throat as well.

"Levy, my dear, your vows please?"

Breathing deeply, and nodding, Levy turned to Lucy who stepped forward to hand her a ring. Trembling slightly, Levy turned towards Gajeel with a gentle smile, lifting a hand to cup his cheek, smile widening when he turned his head to place a kiss to her palm. Another flash from the photographer caught that moment.

"Gajeel...the circumstances under which we met weren't ideal, and for a long time, I was terrified of you." She felt him jerk, saw the tears gather in his eyes, but kept her voice calm, her eyes warm. "But, like Bickslow, when you joined Fairy Tail, I was uncertain about you. You kept to yourself, didn't talk to anyone, but still you were there. And when I least expected it, you protected me. For all your gruffness, for all your rough exterior, your heart of steel managed to still shine throughout all of the hardships you experienced in your life. You've shown me, and Bickslow, the man you actually are, and I am proud to say that I've fallen heads over heels for you, still am every day, and will happily walk by your side for the rest of our days together as your wife." With a smile, she slid the pure black titanium ring she had found for him, set with a sapphire, a ruby, and a black diamond onto his finger.

Tears were flowing freely now throughout the hall, and Gajeel could not help but close his eyes at the wave of love and acceptance that Levy was sending to him through their bond. He didn't even attempt to wipe away the tear that managed to escape. Turning to Bickslow with the same smile, Levy merely held out a hand and when she felt the ring that was placed in her hand, and releasing Gajeels hand with a gentle squeeze she lifted Bickslows.

"Bickslow...where to start...I've known you for the majority of my life. When I first came to Fairy Tail, you were one of the first to welcome me, but still kept your distance. Being a child, I didn't know any better, and didn't give it much thought. As we grew up, we seemed to grow apart, but now I know that you were always watching out for me in some way. When things happened the way they did, when you started going down questionable paths, I worried about you. I didn't know at the time what I was to you, and could only hope that you would make the right choices in the end. And you did. For years I've watched you, and questioned the feelings that were growing for you, and never knew how to approach you. I was always the shy one. But now, I know who I am, who I will be to you. For the rest of our days together, I will happily stand by your side, loving you as your wife." Levy stated clearly, sliding the second ring onto his finger, the silver titanium with the same jewels as Gajeels.

Shaking out a handkerchief, Markarov quickly wiped at his eyes to clear the moisture threatening to escape before clearing his throat. All he ever wanted for any of his children was their happiness, and here were three of them, taking the happiness they wanted together.

"Gajeel, m'boy, your vows now." Markarov encouraged. He could see that Gajeel was trembling, and knew that the vows had hit him very close to home. Most of all the acceptance. Clearing his throat, Gajeel reached out a hand to Laxus who was quick to hand him both rings. Turning to Bickslow, Gajeel lifted his hand, and cleared his throat.

"Bix, you know I'm not any good with words, but for once I'll give it my best shot. When I first came joined the guild, I didn't know what to make of you. I was going through a lot at the time, trying to find my way. Seeing you left me confused, because immediately my dragon told me who you were which confused the hell out of me, as it had already told me someone else was my mate as well. Then as things happened, I questioned my dragon, and myself even more. I started believing I'd have to settle for watching you from a distance. But things changed, and now, here we are. We're standing here together, tying our lives together further, and I find myself proud, knowing that I'll be walking through this life at your side as your husband." Gajeel finished firmly, sliding his own personally designed ring onto Bickslows finger, the three dragons braided together, their jeweled eyes gleaming.

Turning to Levy, he ran his gaze over her delicate features, and knew he would never tire of seeing her by his side. Taking a deep breath, he lifted her hand to press another soft kiss to her knuckles, before lowering her hand.

"Levy...we've been through a lot together. You've asked me, on more than one occasion, why. Why I didn't finish what I had started when we first met. I didn't finish what I had started because I knew. I knew even in that moment, when I saw your defiance filled eyes, my dragon told me exactly who you were. It scared me. After what I had done to you, I knew I didn't deserve you, I knew I had destroyed any chances I might've had with you. But you. You showed me differently. I came to the guild, scared, certain I would be thrown out, but you were the first to approach me. The first one I hurt was the first to approach me. You didn't say two words to me, I could smell the fear on you, but you sat down with your books, with a determined look on your face, made me some iron, and buried yourself in your work. Not a single word. But the actions said so much more. I knew then that I would do everything I could to protect you, even if from a distance. Now, knowing I can do it by your side, I'm finally proud to know that I'll be able to do so as your husband." Taking a deep breath, he slid the matching braided dragon ring onto her finger.

If someone said that there was a dry eye in the place, they would've been lying. Forgetting his handkerchief, and running his sleeve over his eyes, Markarov cleared his throat, reaching for the thin leather book that had been waiting for after the vows. Glancing over, he caught Freeds eye and nodded, who was quick to step forward, and pulling his own light pen from his pocket was quick to engage the circle of runes for a protective barrier that he had placed around the gathered chairs earlier.

Raising his hands, Markarov gained the attention of everyone, noticing that more than a few were still wiping their eyes.

"For this next part of the ceremony, as was mentioned earlier, the three mages before us are part of a bond that has not been seen in hundreds of years. This ritual is a simple but unbreakable one once completed with the required spell. I have had our fellow guild member, Freed, place a protective rune barrier around the guests, as a precaution. We ask that everyone remain silent until otherwise informed."

Flipping the book open to the marked page, he ran his gaze over the words, and lifted his head once more.

"With the Mind, there comes the growth of knowledge, and the ability to comprehend what some may not, while helping build upon the body and soul. The Body gives us strength, provides sustenance, and physically allows us to handle things in ways that strengthen our minds and souls. The Soul is what feeds our bodies with the physical aspects of emotions, it helps us have compassion for those around us, helps guide us on to the path that can ultimately save us in times of need, providing the conscience that makes our minds think. These three mages have all experienced different trials throughout their lives, that tested each part of themselves, and have come together to move forward together."

Taking another deep breath, Markarov lifted a hand, and with a quick gesture, white circles appeared below Gajeel, Bickslow, and Levy, their hands still clasped.

"Mind, Body, and Soul, never to be unbound, let your sight be each others, let no distance keep you apart, no sound keep your words unheard, no emotion go unfelt. Mind, Body, Soul: Aline!"

As he chanted the circles below them grew brighter, spun faster, and as they looked at each other, the spoke on instinct. Lifting their hands, Gajeel pressed a kiss to their wrists. "Always."

Bickslow smiled, lifted their hands to press their hands over his heart. "Forever."

Levy nodded, her own smile bright and lifted their hands to press their knuckles to her forehead, closing her eyes at how right it felt before speaking. "Eternity."

The explosion of light that escaped them had cries of shock echoing through the hall, even as it blew the guild hall doors open, and wiped away the protection runes. The spell was intense and washed over everyone, driving the bridal party to their knees, and had the audience bracing against each other from the feeling of love and acceptance that joined the three mages, overflowing into the city filling the citizens with a sense of giddiness and elation. The sensation didn't last long, but as it came back to Gajeel, Bickslow, and Levy, it wrapped around them in a warm embrace, ribbons of light encasing their joined hands for a moment before disappearing in one last burst.

Blinking to clear the spots from his eyes, and lowering his hands, Markarov ran his gaze over the bridal party that was staggering back to their feet, the invited guests who were rubbing their eyes, trying to clear the spots from their own eyes, and finally to the bride and grooms who were still lightly glowing. Clearing his throat, he carefully closed the book that he had read from, and watched in fascination as it disappeared before turning back to finish the ceremony.

"Well...I think I can safely say that was a bit unexpected..." Markarov chuckled a little nervously. "That being said, I think we can continue. Gajeel, Bickslow, Levana, with the power vested in me by the council and the kingdom of Fiore, I now pronounce you husbands and wife. You may kiss each other."

The cheer that was released from the crowd echoed, even as the bride and grooms laughed joyously, exchanging quick, yet heated, kisses. Turning, Gajeel and Bix hopped down from the stage and before Levy could climb down herself, she was swept up between them, their forearms clasped together to create a seat for her, lifting her from her feet as she gripped their shoulders. The audience surged to their feet, still cheering as Levy, Gaj, and Bix led the way from the hall to the courtyard outside, the bridal party close behind.

Outside Jason was waiting, having just barely managed to get outside before everyone else got to their feet, his photographer friend by his side. When he had been offered this opportunity, even with all of the threats, he understood the importance of this event, and had in turn offered to cover the pictures of the ceremony and reception. For all his excitement, and his tendency to be overly energetic, even he smiled in happiness for the three newly weds as they emerged from the doors.

The sight of Levy being carried out, her laughter ringing loud and clear on the air, her face aimed down to smile at her new husbands as they smiled up at her, sunlight creating a glow around them, was definitely a memory he wasn't likely to ever forget.

The bridal party followed close behind in various stages of grouping, the mated pairs having naturally gravitated back to each other, and without a word, Jason stepped forward to direct the entire group over to the side for formal pictures. Guests moved to the other side of the courtyard, still chattering excitedly, while the guild hall was set up for the reception.

Inside, Lucy's spirits and the catering company was working quickly to clear chairs and set up tables, covering the round tables with steel colored table cloths, crimson glasses, and black napkins. Menus were placed, centerpieces adjusted, and chairs rearranged, keeping the center of the guild clear for dancing. Thankfully it didn't take long for everything to get set up, and Loke was quick to slip outside to the courtyard to let Lucy know.

"Thank you Loke, we'll be just a moment." Lucy smiled, ruffling her lion spirit hair.

"Anything for my princess." Loke smirked, adjusting his glasses as he caught her hand to brush a kiss across her knuckles.

"Not now Loke, behave and I MIGHT consider saving a dance for you." Lucy said firmly, giving him a light shove back to the guild.

"Oh, now I have something to look forward to. I'll hold you to that Princess!" Loke stated, jogging off.

"I said 'I might' dammit!" Lucy fumed, rolling her eyes. Letting out a sigh, she turned to look at Levy who was still wrapped up in Bixs arms with Gajeel right next to them, an elbow propped on Bix's shoulder. She had to admit, they made one hell of a sight being together. All smiles and laughter, they were, quite simply, glowing. Running her eyes over them, Lucy paused as she saw some unfamiliar script on Levy's wrist. Looking over the three of them one more time, she tilted her head in consideration. If she didn't know any better...it looked like Gajeel had more blue in his hair, and more black in Levy's hair. Stepping forward, she cleared her throat to get their attention and froze in shock.

"What is it Lucy?" Levy asked tilting her head.

"You-your-uh...your eyes..." Lucy trailed off. Looking from one to another, she saw three pairs of crimson eyes staring back at her.

"My eyes?" Levy echoed, blinking. She watched in confusion as Lucy fumbled with a hidden pocket in her dress, pulling out a small compact mirror and handing it to her. Flipping it open she met her eyes in the small mirror and gasped, dropping the compact, watching as it was quickly caught by one of her husbands. Spinning around she tilted her head back, felt her jaw drop at the sight that met hers. Two pairs of crimson eyes stared back at her in confusion, then shock, as they saw what she was seeing.

"You didn't notice before?" Lucy murmured, watching the three of them closely.

"No, I didn't...we were caught up in everything happening...It didn't occur to me that something else might happen with that spell..." Levy muttered, brows furrowing as she started thinking about what else may have happened.

"Don't worry about it for now child, now is a time to celebrate." Markarovs voice advised from her side. Looking down she saw him with a peaceful smile, holding and patting her hand reassuringly. It was then that she saw the black marking on her wrist, and without hesitation knelt down next to him.

"Master? Do you know what this is?" Levy asked, tracing a finger over word 'Eternity' etched into the back of her left wrist. Twisting her right wrist, she found the words 'Mind, Body, Soul' had also etched itself into her skin, and knew there was definitely something more to that spell than she originally thought.

"I do, but it's not something you have to worry about. You'll likely find answers and more questions when you go on your honey moon. For now, put this, and the spell out of your mind, and celebrate the start of your new marriage." Markarov reassured her, with a comforting squeeze of her hand.

"The master is right shrimp, there's plenty of time to look into this further later, for now, we need to get inside for the reception." Gajeels voice sounded from above her. Lifting her eyes, she saw a hint of black on the wrist of the hand he was holding out for her, and smiling she took it, lifting to her feet once more.

"You're right, let's go." Holding out a hand to Bix, Levy pulled them after her and back into the now transformed guildhall.

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The view was beautiful. When they had been making the wedding plans previously, Bix had stepped forward and said he would handle the honeymoon. Trusting him, Levy and Gajeel had agreed, and let that worry slip off of their own shoulders.

Now, Levy was so glad that they had. He had brought them home. The reception had been typical of Fairy Tail. The drinks had been free flowing, the food was delicious, and Levy had a moment of worry that there wouldn't be enough with nine dragon slayers in attendance, but Virgo had been the one to ease her worries on that. The music had been fun and upbeat, Gaj and Bix both claiming her for their own dance, though the first dance had been all three of them together.

Cool drinks, and a moment to sit down had been needed after that. The feeling of being pinned between them both and swaying had worked them all up, and if it hadn't been so early in the reception, they would've left. But they stuck around, and when Gaj and Bix had gone out for their own dance, Levy had only been able to watch with a soft look on her face. Her husbands looked very good together, and they were all hers.

When it had come time to cut the cake, naturally, Bix had pulled a prankster move and smeared small pieces of the beautifully made cake all over Gaj and Levy's face, cackling like mad as they had lunged at him. A chase around the guildhall had happened quickly, with Gajeel managing to tackle and pin Bix, while Levy sat on him and smeared cake over his face and down onto his neck. After the initial rolling around from that, and they had staggered back to their feet, Freed had stepped up with a small smile, and a quick swipe of his light pen had them clean once more.

The congratulatory toasts had been many, the tears had been endless, the jokes groan worthy, and when it came time for the garter toss, the smirks that had settled on Bix and Gajeels faces as they sat her in the chair in the middle of the dance floor had her as red as Erza's hair. In short succession they had both ducked under her skirt, and with teasing tongues, nipping teeth, and tickling fingers, they rose victorious with a sapphire and a crimson garter in their hands. Many men had gathered to catch the garters, mated brothers included, and the scuffle that had ensued once the garters were launched were hilarious to say the least. Even Arman had joined in, and he had enjoyed the fact that no one had shrunk back from him being a King and instead treated him as a fellow guildmate.

In the end, Laxus had emerged victorious, with Sting right behind him, both blushing profusely. The wink that Bix snuck to Levy had her giggling helplessly. She didn't need more to know that Bix had played the prankster once more, and purposefully had the garters end up with those two. Soon after Levy was standing on a chair with her back to a gathered crowd of ladies, waving her bouquet over her head to cheers. Once she let it fly, she spun around to watch as her bridesmaids and guests fought over the bundled flowers. She knew who she wanted to get the flowers, and when the crowd parted to show Lucy with the flowers cradled in her arms in shock, Levy cheered.

By the end of the night, the reception gathered behind the guild, creating a path to the waiting airship in one of the training fields. The ship itself was decked in flowers and lights, and every mage forming the path started shooting bursts of their magic into the air.

Pausing at the back door of the guild hall, seeing the smiling faces, the bursts of colors, Levy had looked up at her husbands with a wide grin, lacing her hands with theirs.

 _'Are you ready?'_ She asked mentally, looking back at the path that would take them to their honeymoon.

 _'Absolutely. Better hang on shrimp!'_ Before she could ask what he meant, she squealed as she found herself scooped up into muscled arms and Gajeel raced down the path, his laughter echoing around them. Looking over his shoulder, she saw Bix close behind with a mile wide grin, gasping when he started pulling a few of his flips and twists, keeping pace with them easily before settling into a run with them once more. Further behind them the bridal party followed at a quick pace, Arman and Lucy bringing up the rear.

Once on the ship, Levy had been set on her feet and she turned quickly to start waving to the guests who were waving them off, her husbands flanking her, and the bridal party lining the railing of the ship. The ship had taken off, and everyone had scattered to their own cabins, leaving them to enjoy the view, and wind down from the days activities.

Now she was leaning on the railing of the second floor balcony of the master bedroom, the glass doors behind her open with Gajeel and Bickslow still curled up in the massive bed that they had spent their wedding night in. She was still deliciously sore. Taking a deep breath of the ocean air, she straightened and ran a hand over her abdomen. She wasn't pregnant. Not yet anyways. With everything happening lately, she wanted to wait, and had made sure to take her monthly infertility potion the day of the wedding. She had another one in her bag just in case, but for now, she was going to enjoy their honeymoon, and take the time to explore the island that she hadn't been able to before.

Hearing a rustling behind her, she was quick to turn, tapping into her magic, tensing...and releasing her breath when she saw Bix leaning against the doorjamb behind her. Smiling in understanding he straightened, joining her at the railing, wrapping his arms around her.

"Things are different here, in and around the house Angel, the wards only allow certain people onto the grounds and into the house. Anyone unwelcome is told as much in a very unpleasant manner." Bix murmured, leaning down to nuzzle her hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"I know, I just still worry." Levy sighed, leaning back into him.

"It's ok. And...once we wake up the grumpy dragon in there, there's something I need to show you both." Bix stated, and she could pick up the nerves in his voice. Tilting her head back to look up at him, she nodded, before easing from his arms to skip into the room and jump onto the bed, waking Gajeel up suddenly, causing him to instinctively flail with a curse.

"Time to get up grumpy dragon!" Levy crowed. From his place on the balcony Bix could only smirk.

"Dammit shimp!"

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It was...quite simply...breathtaking.

Smooth marble that was cool to the touch, but quickly warmed. Glowing from light coming from somewhere that she couldn't pinpoint. Pillars that were easily as tall as four Bickslows, if not more.

She was in awe.

When they had come back to visit for their honeymoon Levy had not been expecting this. She remembered exploring the mansion that sat high on Anam Island, that now belonged to her, Gajeel, and Bickslow. She remembered the library that had been a surprise to her from Bickslow, and that she had had to be physically removed from the room before she spent the whole honeymoon there. She remembered visiting Arman in the family castle, and being handed the family book that listed the names of the Pradesh family for generations. It was so old, and thick, but kept in such good condition, that she was careful even then in just turning the pages.

She had devoured that book within a few short hours, and understood better the way that the book worked. She remembered seeing that her and Gajeels names were now printed clearly next to Bickslows in one column, while the island name had been listed in the other. When she had looked over the list at the rest of the siblings, she saw the other mated names that became attached to the different siblings.

She even noticed how it went from oldest to youngest, and noted that it was very vague in how each island helped power the mage that was attached to it, even as the mage supported the islands and the inhabitants. On more than one occasion, she felt more confusion than anything else because she honestly felt like she was missing a key piece of information. Running her fingers over the family list yet again, she paused at the name of Bickslows' brother Zen, and noted that the spot next to him, to list his partner, was still blank. That was yet another puzzle she was dying to solve, but it was also the one sibling that everyone was very tight lipped about, no matter how hard she tried to play the new family member card.

But now, Zen was the furthest from her mind, as she had been led through a hidden door behind a section of bookshelves in Arman's personal library. Arman was leading the way, with her right behind him, Gajeel and Bickslow behind her. The thrum of excitement of learning something new was making her blood quicken...at least it was until she saw the first line of runes that she froze to crouch down and look at. She was too absorbed to notice that Arman disappeared from in front of her, or the curses that burst from Gajeel as he watched it happen while catching himself to keep from tripping over Levy.

Levy stopping suddenly at seeing something new didn't surprise him much, but Arman disappearing sure as hell was, and his curses were quick to echo along the stone passage.

"What the fuck Bix?!" Gajeel snarled, eyes widening in a bit of a panic at the unknown. Biting back the snort of laughter that he knew would get him a punch to the jaw, or a not so pleasurable punishment later, Bix rolled his eyes before reaching down to pull Levy back up, and giving Gajeel a hard shove past the line of runes, following quickly behind. Keeping his eyes on Gajeels broad back, Bix was quick to swing Levy up and over his shoulder, ignoring the squeals of disapproval.

"Just keep going, I'll explain when we get to where we're going, we can't talk about it here." Bix assured.

 _'Dammit Bix, will you put me down?!'_ Levy huffed and mentally damanded, propping herself up slightly on his back.

 _'Nope, cause you'll get distracted by the protection runes.'_ Bix stated firmly, keeping a tight grip on the back of her thighs.

 _'Can I at LEAST be shifted to be carried on your back? This does start to hurt after a while you know.'_ Levy grumbled, relenting to what she knew was fact for her.

 _'Just do it Bix, it'll allow her to see things as we go, while still keeping her from stopping.'_ Gajeel commanded from ahead of them.

Without breaking stride, Bix pulled Levy down from his shoulder to grip her arms and somehow managed to maneuver her in such a way that she was shortly riding piggy back with her arms wrapped around his shoulders, and head resting next to his, legs wrapped around his waist and his hands once more gripping her thighs.

After a while Levy lost count of the lines of runes they crossed, instead definitely grateful for Bix carrying her as she was sure she would've gotten tired by now. As it was she was trying very hard not to doze off on his shoulder. Smirking slightly, feeling her body getting heavier, he gave her a slight shake, causing her to jolt.

"Don't fall asleep on me now love, we're almost there. It seems like it's taking longer, but we've only been walking about ten minutes." Bix explained softly. Feeling his mates shock through the bond, he chuckled. "It's a part of the protection runes. When we get to where we're going, I'll explain further. Dad's already there."

 _'Bix, how-'_ Gajeel started to ask through their link.

"Not yet babe, just wait." Bix interrupted firmly.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Gajeel nodded, not breaking stride.

Now, after what felt like another hour of walking, but Bix had assured them was only about five minutes, they were standing open mouthed in a cavern that just pulsed with power. Letting Levy slide down his back, Bix released her, joining his father to face his husband and wife, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"Bix? Where are we?" Levy breathed, her gaze running over the smooth walls, up to the soaring ceiling, back to her husband and father-in-law who were watching them closely.

"The simple, technical term would be a tomb." Bix answered, shifting slightly, nervous.

"A tomb? What kind of tomb has this much power!?" Gajeel demanded, lifting a hand to Levys shoulder at her whimper.

"A tomb that holds this familys greatest secret." Arman answered. Stepping forward, he gripped their hands, pulling them to the center of the room with them. "This family is a very old one, and have gone through much to keep it hidden lest it fall into the wrong hands."

"What secret could be that great? I thought Bix being a prince was a big enough secret, you mean there's more?" Levy murmured, following numbly, continuing to look around the seemingly simple tomb.

"Yes, now if you can hang onto any questions you may have for right now, there's more to be seen." Arman answered, and once they were all standing in what Levy now saw was a large circle etched into the floor, he gave a quick tap to the center. Energy pulsed and sealed around them in a large bubble before the floor lifted them into the air swiftly towards the light above. Gulping hard against the ball of nerves in her throat, Levy jumped slightly when a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. Tilting her head back she found Bix smiling down at her, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

Lifting her gaze back to the light they were quickly approaching, she couldn't help but instinctively tense as they were suddenly surrounded by it. A moment later she blinked as she felt confusion swell from Gajeel, and realized that she had closed her eyes from how bright the light had been. Looking around to see the solemn looks on Bix and Armans face, then the awestruck look on Gajeels, she turned and felt her jaw drop at the sight before her.

Coral reefs, fish, dolphins, rainbows of color stretched out before them, and she spun around, shoving Bix out of the way to see behind them. More colors, endless blue water, light dancing down to show them the underwater kingdom that Archipelago lived above.

"Wh-how can we be out here?" Gajeel breathed, looking around with wide eyes.

"It's a part of the castle, the main island, only the direct family and their spouses or children if they have them, can see this." Arman explained. Tapping his foot against the floor that they still had under them, Gajeel and Levy staggered slightly as the bubble they were in started moving.

"Would someone mind explaining why Gajeel is not currently collapsed from motion sickness?" Levy whispered, a part of her aware that she was not feeling any nausea or pain through their bond.

"Anti-nausea runes placed on the cavern. Anytime a transport leaves, it transfers over." Arman answered, smiling slightly in amusement. "Levy, being the smart mage you are, pay attention to your surroundings. I want to see if you can find the familys secret." Arman stated as the bubble moved further out into the water, turning to give them a view of where they had just left.

Shaking herself out of the awe of her surroundings, Levys scholar mind clicked into place, and her eyes sharpened, scanning the area. Looking up, she took a quick step back as she realized she was looking at the bottom of an island. As they drifted further away, she saw beyond it to find three more islands. Spinning around, she shoved past the men, and felt her jaw drop again as she saw four more distinct lumps that she had already realized were the other islands of Archipelago.

"How are they not floating away?" Levy demanded, eyes darting to and from each island.

"Look down." Was all Arman would tell her. Taking a deep breath, she did as he said, looking carefully for anything out of place. At first she couldn't see anything, just endless beautifully colored coral reefs below each island. Even the colors seemed to match up with the flowers that bloomed on the islands above.

"Wait a second..." Levy murmured, completely absorbed, not seeing Gajeel watching her in confused fascination, or Bix and Arman waiting patiently. Narrowing her eyes, she spoke over her shoulder to her father-in-law. "Can we get closer to the reef under Kalebs island?"

A tap was heard, and the bubble picked up speed, zooming toward, then changing course to circle the light colored reef. Running her eyes over the dips and grooves, the curves of the reef, she spun back around to look at the other reefs, before looking back at the reef they had come from. Taking another deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment before opening them once more, purposefully crossing her eyes to make her sight blur slightly, to take away from the distracting details of the water life.

When she realized what she was seeing, her brain clicked off and she sat hard, blinking in shock before turning her head up to Arman who was watching her closely and calmly. Lifting a brow to encourage her to speak, she gulped.

"Ar-are those-" She stopped, finding it hard to believe, even as her gaze shot to Gajeel and back again. With Armans single nod, she started laughing hysterically.

"What the hell? Shrimp?!" Gajeel yelped, kneeling down to wrap his arms around her.

"I think we can go back for now Dad." Bix said softly. With another nod and tap of his foot, Arman sent the bubble back to the reef they had come from.

A few minutes later found them back in the cavern they had started in, with Levy down to muffled giggling with her hands over her mouth.

"Would someone mind telling me what the hell is wrong with her?" Gajeel sighed, running anxious hands through his hair. He saw his husband and father-in-law exchange glances and growled. "I need answers dammit!" Feeling his hand get tugged on, he looked down to find Levy looking up at him, eyes dancing with awe and some new knowledge. Gripping her hand tighter, he pulled her to her feet, not seeing that Arman had stepped away, leaving the three of them still in the carved circle of the floor.

"Gajeel we, well the islands, it's just-wow!" Levy managed to stutter out between giggles.

"Shrimp, I need actual words here." Gajeel sighed.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, shooting a look at Bix and getting a nod, she focused back on Gajeel with a smile. "Gajeel, the reefs that we saw? And this cavern?"

"Yea, what about 'em?"

"The reefs are dragons Gajeel...the magic we're feeling is from the dragons creating this cavern!" She rushed out breathlessly. Seeing his eyes widen and his jaw drop, she nodded, even as his gaze shot to Bix.

"It's true, they are, and the three of us...we're the first step in keeping peace on earthland." Bix confirmed. "I've been waiting many years, to do this, to find both of you, to find the answers, and now, we can." Reaching out, he gripped both of their free hands, connecting them, magic pulsing from them, flowing around the room. As they watched, the walls lit up, revealing an ancient language and detailed scenes, dragons included.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Princess Kurino Endivosh, crown princess of Bosco, future Queen was a woman of ambition, she didn't have her father's jovial nature, nor his desire for complete peace for his people. Bosco had one of the most powerful militaries in Earthland, was a wealthy country with a powerful large fleet of airships, most of them military or at least battle capable.

She had been diligent in maintaining complete control of the airships, all of them were owned by the royal family and their construction and maintenance was done by engineers who could only learn the craft if they signed lifetime contracts and agree to memory wipes if they wanted to leave.

It was one of a great many things Kurino had done to assure when she took the throne, her power would be great. She stood looking over the pictures King Arman had of his children. She wasn't a fool, she knew his children were pairing off, little got by her. She'd known about Prince Bickslow marrying knew all about his spouses. A triple wedding instead of a conventional wedding was rare but legal in Bosco, Fiore and of course in Archipelago, Minstrel and Stella. It wouldn't be acknowledged outside of those countries though.

Kaleb, beautiful Kaleb, she'd had him once, and had wanted to have him in her bed again, but no, he was mated now to a Dragon Slayer, and to top it off, that Dragon Slayer was wanted in Bosco...she sincerely hoped he made the mistake of setting foot in Bosco too, she was so very willing to drop that Dragon Slayer in a cell and collect payment for his freedom right out of Kalebs wonderful body.

Almost adding insult to injury, her favorite lover Cristoff had mated with yet another Fioran Dragon Slayer and now had transferred his guild membership to Fairy Tail, her father approving his transfer from the main Royal Knights of the Immaculate light to the division that guarded Archipelago.

Without telling her.

So Cristoff was now as far from her bed as Kaleb. But really, what she needed was one of the eldest princes of Archipelago. Farron or Zen. She knew Zen was alive, where Arman had sent him remained a mystery she had been working diligently on, but Farron or him would be ideal for her needs. She would marry one of them. Get Archipelago, and it's tremendous influence in trade with most of the larger countries nicely under her control and put a Prince she could truly enjoy at her side. These pampered asshats among the general nobility didn't hold her interest, she wanted a Pradesh.

She always got what she wanted too.

So she was waiting in the parlor as Arman walked in smiling and talking with his son and new in-laws. Kurino turned, setting the picture of Farron back on the table, smiling serenely at them, the blue haired little woman she was certain had to be William and Amelias daughter, Levy. She was so tiny Kurino wanted to laugh at how comical she looked beside the tallest of the Pradesh brothers, Bickslow towered over her.

The black haired Dragon Slayer intrigued her right away, his eyes were hard, challenging, fearless and fierce, his powerful aura stirred her interest, and she almost pitied him, if not for the Pradesh brother, this beast of a man would have been doomed to a lifetime of sex on eggshells with his ridiculously small and fragile looking woman.

She felt no great power in the little woman either, no, her power would come from the men she was bound to now. She narrowed her dark eyes on Levy, shrewd tiny woman, having a pair of powerful men to draw power from and protect her, perhaps she wasn't as pathetic as Kurinos first thought of her was.

She would need to watch that one, not underestimate her.

"Princess Kurino, I was told you would be visiting next week." Arman said brightly, managing not to wince. ' _Otherwise I wouldn't have my son and his new spouses anywhere near this island right now.'_ He thought. And he was suddenly glad that after only a short conversation, the bridal party who had come with them had already returned to Magnolia.

"I had a happy change of plans, boring lifeless meetings canceled so I could visit this paradise sooner than planned and perhaps stay a little longer?" She asked hopefully. Arman smiled "Of course, I'll call your father immediately and let him know you've arrived and plan to stay." Arman smiled.

When he saw the slight hint of a frown at that comment he knew Kurino was up to something her father knew nothing about and resolved to call his friend as soon as possible.

"Not necessary at all but do as you wish of course. Prince Bickslow, it's been years since I last saw you, and who are these friends of yours?" She asked bowing her head to Bickslow.

"My wife Levy and husband Gajeel, Princess, it's nice to see you again. Perhaps we will see each other again during your stay. I apologize, but we must be going back to my island." He bowed his head and firmly took Levys hand, turning and leading her away, sending Gajeel a strong mental plea to follow and ask no questions.

"I'll see you later, do enjoy your honeymoon my children." Arman smiled at them, giving Bickslow an apologetic look as he hurried his family from the room.

"Oh, I do hope I haven't interrupted important plans?" She effected a fake look of concern and Arman frowned at her, drawing the parlor door shut behind him.

"Cut the crap Princess, I'm calling your father. Why did you show up here unannounced and do NOT insult me by lying about meetings being cancelled. My son is here on his honeymoon and I will NOT have you bothering him or his new spouses or I'll send you straight home to your father after I give him a serious earful about your behavior." Arman said without any more of the sunny politically correct pretense.

Kurino narrowed her eyes. "Careful King Arman, our countries share peace, and it was a recent thing your family got the reign of the islands back, Bosco could always take that control away…" She said coldly.

Armans eyes narrowed. "The treaty is 100 generations, I am the third, you could lose your claim to the throne threatening a peace treaty of the magnitude our countries have….Princess." He almost spat her title at her.

"Treaties need not be maintained when rulership changes hands." She snapped. "But you can secure the future of these islands with a good political alignment...a marriage for example." She said.

Arman narrowed his eyes again, so this was her purpose, damn her, he'd already rejected her offer for Cristoff five times in the last two years.

"What child of mine are you after now Kurino? Kaleb and Cristoff are mated to Dragon Slayers, they are both physically incapable of consummating a Boscan marriage now and I wouldn't ask them to anyway." He admitted.

"I have no interest in your adopted children Arman, I want one of your two eldest sons, either Farron or Zen and I have a very good offer for you to consider." She smiled, nodding to an attendant who hurried to hand Arman two separate thick folders.

"I told you I will not arrange a marriage for any of my children Kurino, the choice is entirely theirs, I will not force any of my children to marry. I can give this to Farron and if he wants you fine, as for Zen, he is not available to speak with for the time being." Arman said firmly.

Kurino eyed him doubtfully. "You can talk to him, reach him. I'm certain you can. You don't have any current pictures of him...why?"

Arman let his anger show now. "It's none of your business Princess." He said firmly.

"It is my business, I have a vested interest in your heirs Arman, a Pradesh marriage to an Endivosh would unite two great and very old lines of Earthland, it would greatly benefit Archipelago and Bosco both and you could, if you chose, put Farron on the throne here and place Zen upon the throne of Bosco at my side." She pointed out.

"Zen can not marry just anyone Princess, he has specific needs, requirements that I refuse to speak with you about. Now, you may rest for a couple of hours then I am putting you back on your airship and sending you home Princess. If you wish to visit exactly when planned, I will be happy to have you here, otherwise, you are being beyond forward and imposing at the moment." Arman said with a hard edge to his tone that made it clear he wasn't going to negotiate.

Kurino pressed her lips together, the mystery around Zen Pradesh was a heavy one and damn it, she meant to unravel it.

"Arman, He can't have needs or requirements to the detriment of his country's future." Kurino said "Why are you so tight lipped about him? Where is he?!" She demanded.

"Zen is not your business Princess, and I will not talk to you about him. Excuse me, I need to call your father, I will have servants escort you to your ship now since you clearly have no intention of letting anything rest!" He snapped and turned on his heel.

"I will find him Arman!" Kurino shouted after him and Arman bristled further, slamming the parlor door behind him and waving over guards. "Put that nasty brat on her damn ship immediately and tell the captain of the palace guard she isn't allowed to land on any Archipelago island ever again unless I have given direct permission for her to do so!" He growled. The men bowed. "Yes your majesty!"

Stalking away he pulled out his com lacrima, and a moment later King Altiene of Bosco was grinning at him, though his grin fell upon seeing Armans thunderous scowl.

"Arman? What's the matter?"

"Your daughter Altiene, have you considered a leash?" He asked a little harsher than he'd intended as he stalked into the library seeking privacy.

"Dear Gods what has Kurino done now?" Altiene asked.

"She showed up here well ahead of when her visit was planned and lied to me about meetings being canceled. My son Bickslows wedding was just two days ago Altiene, he and my new son and daughter in-law are here, trying to enjoy their honeymoon and Kurino comes in here, imposing, and rude as she always is, demanding I force one of my eldest to marry her and then demanding to know where Zen is!" He almost shouted the last and Altiene winced.

"I'm sorry Arman...you're right, she did lie, she is supposed to be in Stella right now, and I'm not at all pleased she detoured to your kingdom without asking me or you if it was ok. I've no idea why she would be so crude as to demand the whereabouts of your son, I've told her myself to drop that subject and never to bother you about it. Have you dismissed her?" Altiene asked hopefully.

"I'm having guards escort her to her ship and throwing her off my island Altiene, she was beyond her normal level of rude today. This behavior of yours doesn't make me the least bit inclined to even consider her for one of my sons even if I did want to arrange a marriage for one of them, which I do NOT and I know I've told you that." Arman said.

Altiene sighed. "I apologize Arman, I officially on her behalf withdraw the request for her to visit next week, I won't let her bother you again for a while, believe me, I'll talk to her."

"The only other time she is allowed is if she has received an invitation for some event that politically requires it, otherwise, she is not welcome here Altiene. She even threatened the damn treaty!" Arman snarled. Seeing his friend pale in shock, he stopped to take a few deeper breaths, trying to calm himself.

"Arman I...there are no words to express the level of my apologies for this. The only argument I can make with that is that she doesn't know all of your family line, she doesn't know your family actually rules over all of us."

"I know that, and that is a fact that I try not to dwell on, though depending on upcoming events, I may have to. Things are being set into motion Altiene that you may need to be prepared for." Arman sighed, running a hand over his face as he settled back in the chair before the fireplace.

"I'm afraid that she may force my hand. Hell, the only reason we even got the kingdom back a few generations ago was because my familys history was brought to light, and when your grandfather realized who mine was, he didn't hesitate to give back what was rightfully my grandfathers. Dammit that treaty is just for show, and every time she brings it up, it feels like a noose that shouldn't be there." Arman continued, staring into the dancing flames.

"If she does force your hand, I'll understand Arman, I have been noticing that she seems to be trying to reach for more than what she understands. I'll deal with her Arman, you focus on your children for now, I'm sure they'll have questions." Altiene stated, determination set on his face.

"Thank you Altiene, I'm sorry for the upsetting call."

"There's no need to be sorry, I needed to know about this." Altiene waved the apology away.

Hearing a throat clear, Arman looked up to find Bickslow standing a dozen feet away, Gajeel and Levy flanking him. Releasing a tired sigh, he turned back to his comlink with an apologetic smile. "I must go now Altiene, my children are here with their questions."

"Of course old friend, let them know I send my congratulations."

"Will do." With that, Arman cut off the connection before turning back to his recently married children, gesturing to the nearby couch. "Might as well have a seat, I know you have questions, though I distinctly remember you mentioning going back to your island."

Settling in, Levy being pulled into a lap as was routine now, drawing a pleased smile from Arman, Bix was the first to speak up. "Thought you'd want to know that she's gone, cursing the entire way, but gone."

"That's good to know. That brat tests my patience every single time she shows up, hopefully she won't be now for a good long while. Now, Levy, I'm sure you have questions." Arman said with a knowing smirk at the slight flush that stole across her cheeks. "I'm sure that's another reason you're all still here."

"You'd be right sire."

"Oh no, no sire, sir, majesty, or anything from either of you. Your parents were close friends of mine, and now you're my sons wife. I won't accept anything beyond Dad, father, or Arman, though I personally lean more towards Dad." Arman tutted with a small chuckle, grinning when she smiled at him.

"Yes Dad." She said with a giggle.

"Good, now go ahead, ask away. I'm guessing you heard at least part of that conversation?"

"Yeah, um, what did King Altiene mean, your family rules over all of us?" Levy asked innocently, blinking in surprise when she felt Bix stiffen next to her, and saw Arman straighten in his seat.

"Bix hasn't told you?"

"Uh...no...I haven't...it wasn't something I wanted to tell them in Magnolia, and honestly wasn't sure how they would take it." Bix answered, his voice full of uncomfortable embarrassment.

"What hasn't he told us?" Gajeel asked, eyes narrowed and darting between father and son. Bix was busy looking anywhere but at his father, while Arman was glaring daggers.

"Since my son has decided to be an idiot-"

"Hey!"

"Why don't we have Levy take a look at the Pradesh family tree and see if she can figure it out." Arman huffed, rising to his feet and striding over to the tapestry hanging on one wall of the library, showing a large map of all of Earthland. Squirming from her spot on Bix's lap, she was quick to follow, watching in fascination as he trailed fingers along its frame. The map melted away, showing a tree of lines with names.

"As you know, all but two of my children, Farron and Zen, Zen who is not currently living with us, have been adopted. Before me, for generations, my family has only ever had one child at a time. When I met my wife, we had two, and if she had not gotten sick, we would've had more. When she died, I decided to continue to adopt children until we reached the amount we had wanted. Eight. With a friends help, I found my other children, and that was how I came to have Farron, Zen, Kaleb, Bickslow, Cristoff, Vander, Emzadi, and Xally. A few generations ago, during the Blood War, Bosco with a few other countries, and Archipelago, fell to the Blood Queens reign." Pausing to take a deep breath, he turned to lean against the frame, watching as Levy listened to him while perusing the family tree.

"For a few generations the Pradesh family served under her, struggling to free themselves, and it was the King of Fiore at the time with Stella, and Minstrel who helped bring her down. When that happened, something was brought to light about my family that is often overlooked as it's not something we care to lord over everyone else. The only time we fully acknowledge it is in times of great need. After that information was discovered, we were freed, and encouraged to take back our birthright." Arman continued, smiling when Levy stepped forward to just short of touching the lines, having found his name, and started tracing it backwards to the beginning of the tree.

"If your family wasn't in rule for a number of generations, how did your descendants names end up on here?" Levy asked quietly, still tracing the names, the lines.

"This island, this Kingdom, when created, was magically set to only ever have one line of rulers. Whether the family was ruling at the time or not, anytime a Pradesh was born, their name immediately appeared on this."

Blinking in confusion, Levy leaned closer, certain that the date next to the first king and queen of Archipelago was wrong. Doing the math in her head, she stepped back quickly, and following instinct, ran her fingers over the frame in the opposite direction that Arman had, bringing the map of Earthland back up. Touching Archipelago on the map, and the date that was listed under it that it came to be, then the other countries that were much, much younger, she gulped, turning to the handsome man that had become her father-in-law, her eyes widening.

"You...you're..." She whispered, finding it very hard to speak suddenly.

"Yes Levy." Turning to look at Bix who had risen and was now leaning on the other side of the tapestry, she blinked. Gajeel stood right next to him, looking just plain confused, and was obviously becoming impatient from the way he was shifting in place.

"Yo!"

Squealing, Levy spun around, backing into the tapestry with a solid thud, even as curses sounded from either side of her.

"Dammit Vander, a little warning next time would be good! Really don't need you killing my wife by heart attack!" Bickslow groaned, lifting his hands to grip his hair.

"And you know better than to use your shadowquip here in the damn library!" Arman snapped, rolling his eyes at the shrug he received in response.

"What? I got yelled at for missing their wedding, found out they were going to be coming here, so thought I'd come for a visit and to congratulate them personally between jobs." Vander shrugged, biting into a pear with a half smile.

"Then you can also make it up to us by coming to Magnolia for a visit, see your other siblings, and work with Gajeel on his music." Arman ordered with a smile, grinning when his youngest son groaned and let his head fall back with a resigned sigh.

"Fine fine if it'll get all of you off of my back about it. Now what's with the serious atmosphere in here? Everything ok?" Vander huffed, running his eyes over his brothers new wife. The last time he had seen her, she had looked worse for wear, but now she looked healthy, but thoroughly shocked.

"Yes, everything is fine, Levy was just getting a bit of a family history lesson from Arman, and apparently figured out something that I'd very much like to know about." Gajeel growled, crossing his arms as he glared at his new younger brother-in-law.

"Wait, you mean, they're just NOW finding out that Dad is actually King of all of Earthland? Fuck Bix, thought you were smarter than that!" Vander sighed, shaking his head, when a choking sound caught his attention. Blinking he looked up just in time to see Levy and Gajeel fall over in shock. "What? It's not a big deal..."


	21. Chapter 20

A/N: As promised, here is the next chapter, shortly after the previous mega chapter. Desna was the one to help settle on the song in this chapter, called "Black Hole Sun" by SoundGarden. The next chapter will be getting posted shortly, after a little bit of tweaking for editing. After that, there may be a bit of a delay as Desna and I work on completing the chapter(s) after that. Never fear, there will continue to be updates! Please remember to read, AND review, it helps keep us strong!

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Bickslow smiled faintly, easing back a little more into the soft couch, Levy snug against his chest, she kept sighing, he couldn't blame her. Vander had agreed to take time off from a heavy work load and return to Magnolia with them for a visit. He hadn't seen his siblings in months, too busy with the high demands of his work for Boscos Steel Council.

He'd loaded up several of his precious guitars though after he and Gajeel had spent half a day going through his collection, the two men shared a deep passion for music that, they found, complimented each other. Gajeel could play guitar and write music but couldn't sing it, Vander could play guitar, wasn't good at writing music but could sing like none other.

Bickslow had known this, growing up he'd been listening to his brother sing since Vander was old enough to start doing so. Their brother Cristoff also enjoyed music, loved it's soothing qualities and while he couldn't sing on the level Vander could, Cristoff could play guitar, piano and violin, and did have a good singing voice. Paired with Vander, he sounded amazing. Vanders voice they found, could even carry Gajeels if Gajeel kept to the background.

So they sat in the basement of the house among the work out equipment while Gajeel and Vander practiced, today with Cristoff, Natsu lounging on the other side of the couch opposite Bix and Levy, smiling crookedly watching his mate play guitar and sing with his brothers. When they finished Levy was on her feet and Gajeel was chuckling trying to get his guitar out of her way so she didn't crush it between them.

Bix would have done it himself but instead went and ruffled his baby brothers hair instead. Vander swatted his hand away.

"Hey! Quit it Bix!" He growled, jerking back, vanishing and reappearing a few feet away to set his guitar on it's stand, shoving his hand through his hair to settle it back in place.

Bickslow rolled his eyes, Vanders hair had always annoyed him, he kept it in the traditional length for the heritage of the Boscan clan he'd been born to, just past the top of his shoulders, usually either pulled back in a low tail or held back by one of the black headbands he would wear frequently when he worked so he could cover his eyes if needed to better contain his magic, which under heavy combat situations could sometimes "leak" from his eyes and endanger people around him as well as his foes.

His hair had always had this wave to it, it wasn't straight and smooth like Cristoffs, or wild like his own, it fell in these flawless waves and he could go through a windstorm, emerge and with one push of his hand through his hair look like he was ready for a magazine photo. It had always annoyed Bickslow, who would spend more time getting his hair under control than Levy did and one gust of wind would make him look like he'd pissed Laxus off and gotten himself electrocuted.

So Bickslow took wicked pleasure in messing with it.

Vander smirked over at Bickslow, "So Bixy, still keeping your hair in a permanent state of rats nest gone sad mohawk attempt I see." He taunted. Bickslows eyes narrowed and started to light but Vanders blindfold came into place before his brother could get control of him. With a smirk and a wicked cackle,Vander dodged his older brother while Cristoff stepped to the side to avoid being bowled over by the pair as Bickslow chased Vander up the basement stairs and clear out of the house.

"Guess they'll be getting their daily run in now…" Gajeel snorted.

Levy rolled her eyes and headed for the stairs. "He was going to make pancakes today." She sighed.

"I'll do it. Bix and Kaleb aren't the only ones in our family that can cook." Cristoff smiled, coming up behind her and setting his guitar back into its case on the dining room table. Once it was secured he headed to the kitchen waving his mate away. He no longer allowed Natsu in the kitchen after finding his mate tended to "taste" things until they were gone while he cooked.

Their house had finally been finished, so they were living there now, and Natsu had admitted, reluctantly, that it was much better than his little one bedroom hut. Four bedrooms, four baths, a large kitchen, den and dining room as well as a work out room for them that Cristoff made sure Natsu used. A well worn out Natsu was easier to manage than one dripping undirected energy, Cristoff cooked their meals, Natsu did the clean up afterward, it worked, and Happy was content too, with his own room upstairs and Cristoff made sure there was always something to eat in the house, kept the pantry stocked and the fridge full.

The blue Exceed was sitting on the kitchen island with Lily playing checkers and drinking tea when they came upstairs. Both Exceeds looked up when they came in.

"Vander and Bickslow already shot by...I believe Bickslow said something about shaving Vanders head and Vander promised to put rubber cement in Bickslows hair gel…" Lily said, mouth quirked in amusement.

"Wouldn't be the first time…" Cristoff chuckled, accepting ingredients and bowls from Levy to start making breakfast.

Levy giggled. "Seriously?"

"I can't say I haven't had my tangles with Vander, all of us have been victims of his pranks, but Bickslow and Van? Yeah, endless one upping each other while we were growing up. They drove Dad to distraction." Cristoff grinned.

"I can't see you getting into that much Cris." Levy said, eyeing the massive man who stood taller than her own Iron Dragon. Cristoffs eyes though, when not in a combat situation, or running Natsu down, they were always calm, soft.

"I didn't tend to get in much trouble, I had our father and my mother Nurem watching me. If Dad didn't catch me...Nurem always did and believe me, punishment from a 125 foot long Dragon Queen? Yeah...I tended to behave, I figure Natsu and Gajeel are such shits because they were raised by male dragons." He said with a smirk getting instant reactions "Hey!" from Natsu and "Fuck off Cris!" From Gajeel.

"See?" He grinned at Levy and she giggled. She very much liked Cristoff, he and Kaleb were easy to be around, mature, rational and if she had a problem or concern, either one was happy to take time to listen. Cristoff had even sat down with Wendy, and gone over, with great care, all Wendy needed to do to help Levy recover from her ordeal so she could still have children.

He hadn't taken the least bit of offense that she wanted Wendy to handle her female health issues, instead of pointing out he knew more about it and was better able to provide that help, he just taught Wendy what she needed to know, calmly sitting behind a screen where he couldn't see and Levy didn't feel so exposed and walking Wendy through everything she needed to learn to do.

He kept tabs on her though, reproductive health was something he was well experienced in, Bosco tended to render their military unable to reproduce when they got top performing fighters, so Cristoff had learned to reverse those procedures so guildmates and friends could have the children they wanted. He loved children too, and Levy had asked him once as he'd worked with her and Wendy what he planned to do going forward, since his mate was Natsu.

"Adoption maybe, you know I was adopted myself, and surrogates can always be arranged too. Don't worry Levy, your babies when you have them will have lots of cousins to play with." He said.

Levy had frowned. "But...you're a dragon slayer, mated, you can't can you? Have um...sex..with anyone but Natsu?" She blushed furiously and Cristoff had smiled.

"I can if Natsu is there, he has to agree to it, want it, if he does then yes, I could have sex with a woman to reproduce. Dragons used to have entire Tatsus that were just made up of males, mated pairs, and un-mated female dragons could be bred, could produce broods for them, usually the female would leave the eggs to the male Tatsu to protect and raise, since female dragons were so rare, it happened more than you might think. Multiple births are also incredibly common for Dragon Slayer mates Levy, with Gajeel, you're more likely to have twins or triplets than a single baby. And, because of him being also mated to Bickslow...well...I have a book you should read, it has information recorded hundreds of years ago by some of the religious groups that worshipped the dragons. Helped protect their clutches and watch over the young whelps." He'd said.

The prospect of a new book had enthralled her, and after a visit home with Natsu, Cristoff had returned and given her the book he'd promised.

"The Love of Dragons" It was called, and, it was written in Draconian. Levy had at first been crestfallen, Draconian was a lost language, one she didn't know, but, she had been delighted to find Gajeel knew some of it, and what he didn't know, Cristoff did. Her brother-in-law spending hours with her and Gajeel at their dining room table while still living with them waiting for his and Natsus house to be finished, teaching them both Draconian, both written and spoken, using the book he'd brought her.

Inside, she had learned, when a mated pair of dragon males bred the same female, their genes would combine in the children produced, it was rare, but had been documented. The children were always born more powerful than their parents, and new types of magic could be created that way. The genetics of three parents combined in a single child, brought into harmony by the dragon magic that bound the mates together. In Dragons clutches, eggs could number 2-3 dozen for large powerful females, in Dragon Slayers, births were almost always multiples, twins, triplets, even more, and gestation was short, six months instead of 9.

The males had to remain with the female until the birth too, have regular sex with her, she would crave it powerfully because the babies would need the magic from the father(s) as much as the mother, or it would drain the mother down and she could die giving birth. The bodies had to join, so the magic could flow.

Levy had been wide eyed, amazed and enthralled by it all, and Cristoff had answered her questions patiently, Gajeel and Bickslows too. When Levy had read the book he asked her to let Wendy read it, he was getting Wendy taught thoroughly how to handle Dragon Slayer pregnancies, and pushed her hard, refusing to say why but insistent she needed to learn well and sooner rather than later.

Levy still was waiting, still was taking her potion, Wendy watching her, promised to tell her when she had finally healed enough, when her body had cycled enough to remove the few issues still remaining that Wendy and Cristoff couldn't quite free her from, but both promised her time would.

So she stood by her large brother in-law, smiling while he teased Natsu and Gajeel about being raised by male dragons and that being the reason both were so much trouble growing up. "Male dragons, so few taught much beyond fighting, fucking and taking the world by storm…" Cristoff smirked.

"Damn straight, Metalicana didn't worry about whether or not I could make pancakes or fold napkins right." Gajeel grinned, flashing fangs.

Natsu huffed. "Neither did Igneel." He agreed.

Cristoff turned, smiling. "Yeah? How much did he teach you about raising children? Because Nurem made sure I'd be ready for that…" He returned and both men fidgeted.

"I like kids...get along good with em too…" Natsu said

"I'll do fine, I have Levy and Bickslow practically IS a child." Gajeel smirked.

They all laughed. Seeing as how Bickslow and Vander were still out there somewhere doing Gods knew what. It was a good morning.

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He was late.

He was fuming.

And he was downright pissed.

When he had agreed to stay at the guild party the night before and enjoy a few drinks with Sting while he pretended to not watch his mate dance with the other ladies in the guild, it had been with the understanding that Sting would go over the plans for the bed and breakfast that was in the works with him in the morning. And that had never happened.

He had woken up at his usual time, started his usual routine, and while eating some breakfast, had started going over the paperwork that was now tucked into the folder hidden away in his robes. Continuing to make small changes here and there on what was now a nearly seamless design, he had lost track of time, expecting and waiting for Sting to show up.

Which he never did.

And now, Rogue was running late and seething. He absolutely loathed running late, and the only time he made exceptions for breaking that long developed habit of his was when he had absolutely no control over it. A valid example was jobs. He kept to a schedule when it came time to meet the client, but outside of that, he did not set any solid schedule simply because jobs could become unpredictable at a moments notice. Outside of that, he was a stickler for keeping to a set time frame, and he had planned on being at the guild at ten to catch the master for a meeting, and then continue on with his day.

Instead, here he was, damn near running to the guild, at a quarter to eleven. He knew, he KNEW how chaotic the guild could become, and had wanted to get this idea rolling before it was too late. Huffing lightly, he paused at the top of the stairs leading to the guild, rolling his shoulders and smoothing his hands over his robes to settle them properly. Taking a deep calming breath, determined to take his frustration out on Sting later for leaving him high and dry, he pushed open the guild doors and stepped in, allowing his gaze to track over the gathered crowd, looking for a particular head of platinum blonde hair.

Finding the head of hair, cuddling up with another head of dark hair, which he knew belonged to Sting's mate, he quickly made his way towards his friend, pulling out the folder that they were supposed to have gone over together. Having to weave through the many bodies filling the guild made getting to him a little interesting, but still possible, and he was only a few feet from Sting and Xally when he was suddenly knocked into strongly enough that the folder fell from his hand, papers scattering free.

Cursing fervently, he quickly dropped to his knees, reaching for the scattered papers when he saw a hand with long, slender fingers reach out to grab some papers as well, stacking them together haphazardly. For some reason he couldn't bring himself to be upset at the papers being put together so unevenly, and he froze for a moment as an unbidden thought of wondering what those fingers would feel like caressing his skin flashed through his mind, causing his blood to warm.

"Sorry bout that man, I was turning when you came walking by, and ran into you. No harm done I hope?" A deep, lilting voice asked softly, triggering a shiver to run up his spine. He couldn't stop his gaze from shooting up, and when his own crimson gaze met a burgundy set of eyes, he would fully admit that he gulped. The man before him was...breathtaking, handsome, with elegant but decidedly masculine features, slanted eyes with thick lashes that were vivid purplish red like a fine deep wine and tanned skin, rusty streaks in his black hair that was thick shiny and hung loose around his shoulders in smooth waves. A full lipped sensual mouth curved in a cocky smile that made Rogues heart beat erratically. Shaking his head in the negative to the question asked, he dropped his gaze and quickly gathered the last of the papers.

Blast his tongue!

It was tied.

Completely and unequivocally, tied.

And he could not for the life of him, get his voice to work.

Seeing the man crouching before him shift into a standing position and hold his hand out to help him up, Rogue gripped the hand without thinking too much about it, and inhaled deeply at the sharp tingle that shot up his arm. Lifting to his own feet, he hesitated to let the hand go, lifting his gaze to the other man once more. Seeing the small curl of his lips, and the obvious heat in the gaze that flicked over him, Rogue had to bite back the growl that hovered at the back of his throat. Giving the hand he still held a gentle squeeze, the young man introduced himself.

"Vander Pradesh, Bickslows younger brother, here for a short visit." Vander explained with a half smile.

Gulping hard, Rogue struggled to unglue his tongue from the top of his mouth. "R-Ryos Cheney, Fairy Tails Shadow Dragon slayer." He stuttered, he actually fucking stuttered, feeling mortified as his face flushed.

"Shadows eh? Sounds like something we'd have in common." Vander said, his voice dropping slightly, taking on a husky quality that had Rogue biting the inside of his cheek. The mans eyes were just alight with mischief and this subtle, heated touch of interest. Wine, they were the color of a rich red wine, with the slight purple hints in them that made them unique, his own were a pure deep ruby color, but this mans...his eyes were like pools of fine wine Rogue could drown in.

"Oh?" He asked, clearing his throat slightly.

"Yep. I'm a specialized variety of shadow mage, a Shadowquip, I can generate them, extinguish them, mold them, shape them." He was smiling, this wicked edge to his voice that had Rogues mouth go dry and eyes widen as he spoke. " I can make shadows bend to my will." He explained with a purr, leaning forward, invading his space, taller than Rogue by a few inches so he dropped his head to brush soft lips against the shell of his ear. "Bend in any way I want." He continued with a whisper, chuckling. The vibrations from that had Rogue jerking, and his eyes flying wide in shock as he felt himself harden painfully, suddenly, the subtle unseen touch of the man in front of him against his groin shocking him and clearly he heard his dragon growl in pleasure, damn near rolling over under the attention Rogue was getting from the newcomer.

Before Rogue could come up with any sort of response, Vander stepped away with another smirk and heated look before turning and walking away after dropping the papers he had gathered on top of the ones Rogue held. Rogue could do nothing but watch frozen in place as Vander weaved his way seamlessly, much like a shadow, through the people there, disappearing behind the stage at the back of the hall. Dazed, and highly confused, not even remembering his anger, Rogue continued on and dropped onto a bench beside Sting and Xally, not saying a single word. He stayed that way for a while as he tried to wrap his head around what had just happened.

He'd heard of specialized varieties of shadow magic users, every field of magic had its specialists, healing magic usually stemmed out as a specialization of another larger form of magic, like Wendy used air, Xally used water and Cristoff used moonlight to heal.

Shadowquips, he knew he'd read about them somewhere, they were rare, it was a born specialization, not one that was learned. He'd have to look into it, he'd felt shadows stir to life, but they were shadows he himself couldn't have used, the hidden ones beneath his own clothing had swirled around his groin in those moments Vander was in front of him, but he hadn't felt magic activate, had it been that subtle? He'd never been able to use the unseen shadows, few shadow magic users could, it added a level of deadliness that was obvious but Vander, if he'd done what Rogue thought he had, had not used those shadows in anything short of a very blood heating caress.

Gods, if he could do that, what could he do with the shadows that were laced all through Rogue because of his magic?

Behind stage, Gajeel was smiling, adjusting his guitar while Vander pulled his out, the Iron Slayer smiling at the elegant instrument and noting Vanders smile didn't match the one he usually wore when his hands were on that guitar.

"S'up with you? You look like you're planning something evil, you better not fuck around with the song." He narrowed his eyes, Bickslows brother had a talent for messing with people, and while he also could play the guitar and sing like a damn angel, he had an uncanny gift for stirring up trouble.

Still though, he'd had nothing but respect for Gajeels works as he'd read through them, and the last few days had been a lot of fun working with another person who appreciated music and knew how to play.

Gajeel knew he wasn't the greatest singer, he just had a passion for getting his music out and had no other options but to sing his music himself, even so when Bix had suggested this he'd been skeptical.

Having another musician work with things that had honestly been like his soul pouring out onto paper at times, left him feeling uncomfortable and a bit vulnerable. Vander hadn't crossed any lines though, he'd played around a bit, but once the music started he paid it the respect it deserved.

Vander shook his head. "Really wouldn't do that to you Bro. Your music is solid, I was just messin' with someone on my way in, that's all." He assured him and Gajeel relaxed, nodding.

Vander eyed him, Gajeel used shadow magic, the same type as the young man he'd just met out there. He wouldn't mess too much with his brother in-law, Bix would possess him and have him fucking toasters or something if he did, but Vander had enjoyed messing around with regular shadow mages all of his life.

His ability to pull shadows out, manipulate them, right through a shadow mages very body just made those mages delectable treats for the Shadowquip. Admittedly he'd been with more women than men in his life but Vander had no real preference, pleasure was pleasure, he was Boscan, he'd always take it when it was offered or he was given consent. And that shadow slayers expression, reactions, that had been consent, interest, and dear Gods did that man have shadows laced everywhere, delicious, strong, easy to touch and bend and play with. He'd threaded his shadows through the other mans, used them like his own hand to fondle him, seen his eyes heat up, watched his face flush and heard his breath catch.

The black haired ruby eyed Dragon slayer had been too tempting to walk away from, and he had a hard strong lithe body, lighter built than Vander was, a few inches shorter, but his skin was so smooth and hot, and once Vander had curled shadows around beneath his clothes, he'd wanted the man, wanted him badly too, was drawn to him, and that meant his mind was working out ways to get in that dragon slayers pants, maneuver him into his bed, or against a wall. on a floor, anywhere, Vander wasn't picky. He wanted to taste those lips, find out if that faint sugared pear type scent translated into sweet tasting skin.

Vanders magic was subtle, difficult to detect when he used it, and after so much time in his line of work, he'd long since mastered the subtle use of his magic. He hoped that ruby eyed Dragon Slayer was still around when they took the stage, Gods could he have fun with him, especially using the song they had planned. He'd see just how interested the man was. Fiorans were so withdrawn when it came to play, pleasure, the physical enjoyment their bodies could provide, it was a damn shame to Vander. Regardless, passion or prude, he'd have fun if that mage was still out there all dripping shadow magic.

A while had passed, with Sting and Xally looking over at him occasionally with worried looks, but never once pressing him, knowing how he felt about being pestered. It wasn't long after that that the sound of feedback echoed through out the room, drawing everyone's attention to the stage. Blinking, Rogue focused on the stage, seeing Mira standing before the microphone with a bright smile.

"Hello everyone, for today's activities, seeing as how this is the first day of Spring, we thought we'd kick off the new season with a special song from our very own Gajeel Redfox and guest!" Mira cheered, lifting her hands to clap enthusiastically, ignoring the winces that crossed most everyone's face at the announcement. It was a well known fact that the Iron Dragon slayer was great at many a thing...singing was not on that list. But with the additional knowledge that Mira wouldn't allow them to leave, and Gajeel would be quick to lash out at them, everyone clapped politely as he walked onto stage, carrying his beloved guitar.

The first sign that this was different was that Gajeel wasn't wearing his usual white suit like he normally would when performing. Instead, he was dressed somewhat casually, a dark glowing shirt stretching across his chest and hugging his torso comfortably, while his gray plants were tucked into black boots. The second was rather than taking place behind the microphone, he sat on one of the two barstools that had been provided to the side of it, leaving the one next to him open. The last obvious sign was when Vander walked onto the stage, his stride confident, and smirk cocky.

He was quick to grab the microphone, and every bit of tension that Rogue had noticed in his shoulders before seemed to just melt away. Tall, wavy black hair laced with sunkissed rusty red highlights from being outdoors. Bickslows brother was rakishly handsome. As a shadow mage himself Rogue leaned toward loose fitting clothes, robes over slacks, they generated shadows, allowed his magic to flow around and through him better, gave him more surface area he could use to spread his reach out when he was in shadow form.

Vander though was in snug fitting clothes, Black pants that hugged his long muscular legs, knee high boots with a black metal wrapped over the toes and heels and fronts like a set of greaves. A snug sleeveless black leather jerkin made from a leather that looked butter soft and like it had been painted onto his defined torso. Tattoos poked out by his neck, along the edge of the v-neck and on his right arm above his bicep was an unfamiliar guild seal. Below it, coiled around his bicep was a winged serpent with distinctly draconic features, black with red lined scales and red eyes.

Tanned skin, hard muscle, Rogues eyes skimmed the crowd and narrowed on Cana who was giving the man far too much interest. But the wicked wine colored eyes found him and a smile curved those full lips.

"Alright ladies and gents, some of ya know me, some of ya don't. For those who don't, m'name's Vander, annoyance extraordinaire to my older siblings. I'm here visiting family for a short time, and after much needling from those who shall remain nameless **coughBixcough** , I've been encouraged to do a song or two, possibly more, should no ones ears start bleeding from my dear brother-in-laws guitar playing." Vander was quick to dodge the kick that was aimed at him from the glowering dragon slayer beside him. Blowing a quick kiss over his shoulder to him, Vander turned back to the enraptured crowd with a genuine smile. "So for tonight, we're going to get this started with a song picked out by my brother in-law here."

Stepping back for a moment to take a deep breath, he brought his own guitar around and nodded his head to Gajeel, he let the intro play as needed then stepped forward again, and when he started to sing, the guild froze in shock.

In my eyes, indisposed  
In disguises no one knows  
Hides the face, lies the snake  
The sun in my disgrace  
Boiling heat, summer stench  
'Neath the black the sky looks dead  
Call my name through the cream  
And I'll hear you scream again

His voice, it was as smooth as whiskey, as warm as a fire, and as calming as a gentle breeze, beckoning everyone to sway with his words. Rogue could scarcely breathe as their eyes met while he lilted out "Call my name" and "I'll hear you scream again." The images that hit him took his breath from him. He had never been prone to lewd thoughts, lechery was Stings territory not his, but as soon as Vander started singing, his voice stirred them, heated lust filled thoughts of what he and the tall shadowquip could be doing to make screams happen.

Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
And wash away the rain  
Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
Won't you come (won't you come)

And the heat! The heat that was just barely hinted at in the low tone of his voice, was an aphrodisiac that wrapped itself around everyone and pulled them to their feet, beginning to dance in place whether alone or together, it didn't matter. What was that?! Rogue eyes widened, dilated, "Wont you cum" was all he heard.

Stuttering, cold and damp  
Steal the warm wind tired friend  
Times are gone for honest men  
And sometimes far too long for snakes  
In my shoes, a walking sleep  
And my youth I pray to keep  
Heaven sent hell away  
No one sings like you anymore

With Sting, Xally and Rogue, Bix plopped down across from them, grinning up a storm as he watched what he had been working with Gajeel and Vander on finally happen. He had known for a long time that Gajeel wrote and played beautiful music, it was his voice that made it difficult to stomach the songs. But now, putting two of the musically inclined people in his life together, everyone else was able to enjoy what they each had to bring. Watching his brother sing, and his husband strum away happily at his guitar clearly enjoying the very positive rapt reaction of the crowd. Then Bix began to notice that Vander seemed to have eyes for only one person. Rolling his eyes, he knew his brother was on the prowl, and being careful not to be too noticeable with his movements, Bix began to run his eyes over the crowd, trying to find who had been singled out. Unfortunately, in a crowd this large, it was rather difficult.

Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
And wash away the rain  
Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
Won't you come

Rogue could only watch, dazed, as his jaw became unhinged and surely hit the table, Vanders voice stroking along his skin in such a way that had him shivering almost non-stop. He physically felt like he was being touched, but that wasn't possible. Hearing him like this had unbidden images of the shadowquip mage writhing beneath him, moaning his name, singing it, begging him to cum flashing through his mind.

Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
And wash away the rain  
Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
Won't you come Gajeel added another bar here, his harsh voice somehow fitting (black hole sun, black hole sun)

Rogue could smell the arousal that was beginning to permeate the air from all of the members at hearing his voice, the suggestive lyrics, especially the way Vander was singing them, moving his body against that guitar in his hands as he sang.

Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)

Gajeel just fit into the song, his harsh voice carried by Vanders easily, providing a stark contrast that fit the song and those wine colored eyes were on Rogues as he sang. He'd tear them away, to give Gajeel appreciative looks as he ran through a stirring guitar solo that was honesty impressive. He'd slide his gaze invitingly over people in the crowd, but the heat didn't ignite until his eyes would brush over Rogues. He was fighting it now, a compulsion that was consuming him watching Vanders tall body move with the music and against that guitar he held. He fought hard against the possessive growl that wanted to escape him. He didn't understand this, he had no claim what-so-ever on the visiting mage.

Hang my head, drown my fear  
Till you all just disappear

Bix felt his own jaw drop as a movement across from him caught his attention and he watched as Rogue shoved away from the table to make his way to the stage. He had just managed to catch a glimpse of narrow slitted eyes, and the heaving chest, signs that he had gotten used to seeing periodically over the last number of months. Hoping that he wasn't right, Bix didn't hesitate this time to activate his eyes to check on Vanders soul, and the seed of a bright green soul within Vanders blinding silver one had Bix groaning and dropping his head to the table in front of him with a muffled thud. It was official, he gave up. It looked like all of his siblings were going to end up with slayers, somehow, someway. Except for Farron and Wendy, he was fairly certain that would never happen because of how far apart the two were, not to mention age and the responsibilities they both had.

Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
And wash away the rain  
Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
Won't you come _  
_  
By now Rogue was down right panting, and hadn't even realized he was moving through the crowd until he stood at the edge of it, the only still body amongst the sea of swaying bodies and couples. He had seen, felt, damn near tasted Vander's words as they caressed him, and his eyes had beckoned him closer. When his body moved against the guitar Rogue physically felt as if it were moving against his skin, it was driving him mad.

Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
And wash away the rain  
Black hole sun  
Won't you come  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)  
Won't you come (black hole sun, black hole sun)

Rogue wanted to take him away, far away to claim him as his own, set his mark deep and dark against that tan skin that was glowing with a thin sheet of sweat from the overhead lights, his scent of light smoke, spices, and a hint of cherries, driving his dragon insane with desire.

Yes, he would take him, claim him, mark him before anyone else could. Take the other shadow mage as his mate. Keep those wine colored eyes on him and hear that lilting voice saying his name.

Won't you come  
Won't you come

Holding the burgundy eyes that were gleaming down at him, Rogue couldn't keep from licking his lips, and allowing the growl that had been building since Vander had knocked into him, loose, drawing startled looks from every slayer in the hall at that time. He didn't even hear the responding groan or quiet thuds as Bixlow went back to hitting his head on their table repeatedly.

His mate. Only his. He was perfect, sensual, gorgeous, and Rogue had never in his life wanted anyone so badly. His dragon repeating over and over in his head "Mate! He is Mine!"

Oh yea, Vander was his, and Rogue knew he was screwed in what he needed to do.

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The performance had gone over better than anyone had expected. Gajeel was grinning, about as "giddy" over it as Bix or Levy had ever seen him, both so thrilled with how happy their mate was Levy kissed Bickslows cheek. "THAT was a great idea! We should get them to do another some time soon, maybe a few of Gajeels songs next time, let everyone see just how talented he is and let him enjoy sharing that for a change." Levy had said and Bickslow had been patting himself on the back, would have been all over getting his mates home to celebrate, Gajeel was game for anything in a happy mood like he was in.

Except one thing. Vander. His baby brother had done something, he knew it, he wasn't entirely sure what all had happened but he'd done something to Rogue. His eyes weren't wrong, he'd seen it, Vanders gleaming brilliant silver soul twining through strands reaching from Rogues deep green one. Vanders soul was always hard to look at, it shined like a beacon, so bright it hurt to look at it. It was unique that way and their father had long ago figured out it was what had made Vander able to survive his youth learning to cope with his difficult magic.

The dark terrifying things of the voids, the deepest shades in the shadows couldn't harm him or defy him because his soul was blinding and strong. Vander could destroy those things with little effort and they knew it, so they obeyed him and didn't encroach on him as he slid through the voids, used the shadows. He was a master of them all.

Rogues gleamed brighter than most, so did Gajeels, and Bickslow figured that was the way with Shadow magic users, their souls had to be bright to handle the darkness they dealt with.

He'd seen that intense silver soul of Vanders winding around the strands reaching from Rogues, Rogues was more insistent, but Bickslow had seen that with all of the Dragon Slayers, hell Stings had been wrapping around Xallys wildly while Xallys had just been accepting, welcoming.

Cobras had about dived right out of him into the embrace of Kalebs,Laxus and Emis had been….well...as her older brother he really hadn't needed to seen how lewd and sensual that union had been. He still couldn't look at theirs, those two...he knew Laxus was like that but seeing his baby sister… he shook the thoughts, narrowing his eyes on Vander who gave him an incredulous look.

"What?! Seriously Bixy, what's the problem? That went over great, Gajeel had a good time, so did I, so did your guild, what's with the look?" Vander had demanded defensively.

The Shadowquip was off balance and unsure as to why. That performance had been a pure unadulterated good time for him. He'd teased the hell out of that sexy shadow mage, enticed most of the single women of the guild to the point two of them had been all over him in the back. He'd been up for it, wanted it, something about his play with the shadow mage and the fact the man hadn't appeared backstage like he'd honestly hoped he would had him...unsettled and he'd wanted to bury that into the two very willing and eager women that had grabbed him backstage and dragged him into a store room, two women wasn't a new thing for him at all, he'd tagged along with the last several full moons with Cristoff before he'd departed to Fiore to visit and ended up mated to the good looking pink haired slayer.

No more full moon sex fests stirred up by his brothers magic, Vander would miss them but clearly he'd be able to keep having fun on his own. The brunette and the white haired women were both gorgeous, willing to share and all over him.

Then the shadow mage had finally appeared in the doorway, crimson eyes wide for a moment in stunned surprise, then Vander had seen and he could have sworn he FELT the pain, humiliation, denial, this wild flood of unhappiness and disappointment and he'd been compelled to try and follow the shadow mage but the women had too good a grip on him and he'd been unable to untangle himself, his shout "Hey! Wait!" though had caught attention, and before the brunette could get his pants undone they'd been caught and a glaring Makarov had sent both women scurrying and even Vander retreating swiftly from his annoyance.

He'd been swept into a hug from Gajeel when he'd gotten back to the backstage area "That was perfect! Damn it, I knew if people could hear it like I meant it to be they would like it." He'd grinned, releasing Vander to turn and sweep a glowing Levy into his arms, kissing her until she was breathless.

Vander didn't miss Bickslows reproachful distrusting look though and it pissed him off. He'd just done his brother a solid favor singing with his mate, not that it hadn't been fun and he wouldn't volunteer to do it again, but still, Bickslow should be HAPPY, not giving him that...look. Like he'd done something wrong.

He felt funny, off, should be happy like the others but wasn't, he was upset by the Shadow mage and that made no sense to him at all. He'd set out to stir the man up, give him a hell of a show, play with him, and he'd done just that and it had worked, the mans body had responded just...incredibly to Vanders handling, really, even women weren't usually that responsive, that...exhilarating to seduce and Vander tended to sleep with more women because they tended to be more sensitive, more responsive than most men were and he deeply enjoyed pleasuring a partner, getting those responses was a large part of the fun for him.

The shadow mage though, Ryos he'd said his name was, he'd been just incredibly responsive, his body had reacted so well, every touch, every caress, when Vander had started playing with him, driving his shadows beneath Ryos' clothes, making them move like his own body was against his guitar, Ryos had hardened under his caress, shuddered, shivered, trembled….skin heated, breathing hitched, heart rate spiked, sweat had broken out over that smooth pale skin and Vander had been taunted himself with all sorts of ideas, images of him tangled with Ryos in bed, of wild delicious sex with the ruby eyed Dragon Slayer. He'd never had preferences, men or women, he just loved sex and pleasure and would happily take it wherever he found it, so that had to be it, the reason behind his sudden sharp desire for the other shadow mage.

Toying with him, working his body while he'd sung, had stirred Vander up too, given him all sorts of ideas, things he'd love to do with the Dragon Slayer, images playing in his head more vivid than most he would get when he found someone he particularly wanted.

Images he'd been enjoying even as those women had been on him because he'd really wished it had been the shadow mage to find him first back stage, to pull him to a secluded room, he would have gone more willingly, eagerly even, because Ryos was just….he shook his thoughts as Bickslow rolled his eyes.

"You need to talk to Rogue." His brother said firmly.

"Rogue?" Vander frowned and Bickslow nodded.

"The Shadow Dragon Slayer...I saw you during the performance Van, there's more there than you know, you should talk to him...I'll give you his address, seriously." Bix had turned and written down the address on a slip of paper. "I'm going home, Gajeel and Lev want to celebrate and I know you, your brand of celebration...well...just see Rogue first ok?" He'd looked at his brother firmly and Vander had rolled his eyes this time snatching the paper from his hand.

He'd gotten himself a hotel room so he didn't have to explain any of his coming and going to Bickslow or Cristoff, though Cris was in the process still of furnishing the recently completed new house he'd had built for him and Natsu, which was gorgeous even by Vanders standards and Vander had discerning tastes.

Cris was having serious wards and protections put all through the house and furniture, fixtures, everything because his mate was destructive. Levy and Freed both were working on it along with the wood make mage Laki and an Earth mage doing the countertops and tiles etc.

No, Vander prefered not to have his brothers watching his activities so he'd taken a suite at the hotel by the cathedral. Turning he headed for the showers to clean up but not before Bickslow grabbed his shoulder.

"Van, I'm not kidding, go see Rogue." He'd said again and Vander had leaned into his brother giving him a sly grin.

"Oh I will, I'll see every inch of him." He'd purred and Bickslow had rolled his eyes and shoved him toward the door.

Showered he'd opted for some faded jeans, boots and a dark red button down, rolled the sleeves up and dodged the Guilds main hall, slipping through shadows to the dark city streets.

He'd started toward Rogues but his own nerves, pure excitement at the idea alarmed him and he stopped, glaring at the cobblestones beneath his feet. What the hell was wrong with him?! Yes, Rogue/Ryos was elegant, good looking, sexy, and naturally Vander wanted him, of course he did, the mans body was the ultimate playground for the Shadowquip, all laced with shadow magic, lithe, nicely muscular with smooth skin that smelled of sugared pears...he fucking loved pears... and the delicious smoky scent of shadow magic...he shook his head.

"Fuck…" He growled softly, pushing a hand through his still faintly damp hair. He looked at the slip of paper in his hand and frowned, shoving it back into his pocket and glaring again for a minute at nothing in particular.

There were still people out, heading to or from the bars and few clubs Magnolia boasted. No, he wasn't going to go now, he was too wound up, maybe the thrill of performing was making him like this, he couldn't go see Rogue like this, all panting and eager, he needed more control. No, he was going to do something else, go have some fucking fun and get this out of his system so he could be in full control of himself when he did see the Shadow mage.

He'd catch him in the guild or something but he would not go looking for him, no, that was too...desperate, giving in to this odd compulsion, this eager hunger that wasn't his usual predatory thrill that normally drove him to someones bed.

Shaking his head he walked purposely away from the area where Rogue lived, deliberately seeking distance from it. He knew a few clubs, hell Bickslow had introduced him to them, a couple were pretty racy, almost to Boscan standards. It was just past 10, two hours on a train and he'd be in Hargeon, with their 24 hour fun, he'd find himself company and fuck this out of his system with a willing partner or two...three...however many it took to purge the residual need for that shadow mage from his system.

When he boarded the train he was so distracted he didn't notice the trio of mages following him, the two pretty young women and slender good looking young man, they stumbled onto the train car he had just sat down in laughing.

"I'm thinking the Berry Patch, they have the best drinks." The Pink haired woman said brightly. There was a shorter, blue haired woman with full pouty lips and wide dark brown eyes. "But Hells Gate has the dancing and the private rooms…" She grinned and Vander saw her grope the slender blonde man between them.

He wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her over to kiss her, gripping the back of a seat to keep from stumbling. They had clearly already started their fun earlier and likely were heading to Hargeon because unlike Magnolia, the Hargeon bars and clubs never closed.

Vander smiled in spite of himself, his kind of people. There was nobody but himself and them in the train car, and he didn't mind the man starting to make out with the blue haired girl, but the pinkette did.

"Darious! Ohna!..." She whined then spotted Vander and her eyes widened, her pout turning immediately into a very interested smile. "Forgive them, we didn't see you there…" She grinned, kicking the blonde who jerked back with a frown.

"Ow! Fuck Rena!...oh!...Hi!" He smiled at Vander, interest sparking in his blue eyes as much as it had in the Pinkettes and Vanders smile widened a little, oh these three could be exactly what he needed…

By the time the train stopped in Hargeon, Vander had the Pinkette in his lap, her tongue in his mouth while the blonde was groping him through his jeans as he kissed the bluenette.

The train conductor cleared his throat...loudly...and they broke apart laughing.

"Sorry! We're moving, we're moving!" Darious grinned, holding up his hands.

"Ok, so the Devils gate because of good dancing and...private rooms…right?" He asked as they all stepped off the train, he met Vanders eyes smirking.

"Absolutely!" Vander agreed and Darious grinned, pulling out his lip balm, something he seemed compulsive about from Vanders observations so far, the man used it a good bit, the girls refreshed their lip gloss alot too, he didn't care, it all tasted good. Really good even, and he was wanting to try all of it more.

The group strolled down the busy streets, midnight in Hargeon was crazy busy in the nightclub area. Hells Gate was a bigger club, Vander had been there before, strippers and good dance floors, music and decent drinks. Darious went to get them drinks while Vander took a private booth, set back with sheer enchanted curtains enclosing it so the occupants could see out and enjoy the entertainment but nobody could see in and watch what might be happening in the booth.

He had to pay a good bit for it, but that didn't bother him at all, he always took these booths when he was down here with Bickslow.

Rena was on him immediately, kissing him, that sweet lipgloss of hers was tantalizing, and he slid his tongue right over her plump lips tasting it, his thoughts of Rogue had started to fade with the first kiss from the woman and he needed that so he responded willingly to her advances, to Ohnas too, and when Darious slid into the booth, placing drinks on the table and suggested body shots they all started and clothes started getting moved out of the way,

Vander was fuzzy headed, submerged in a hazy thoughtless fog as Rena kissed him, Darious was under the table, between his legs, and the man knew how to give a blowjob. His hand was working Renas center, and the woman was writhing sitting on the table in front of him finally gasping and leaning back so Vander could eagerly work at her body better. Ohna didn't leave his mouth free though, lunging in and kissing him, the blueberry flavor of her lipgloss getting to him, making him moan and the world got hazier, foggier, lust swallowing him.

He wasn't sure when he got pushed to his back on the bench, or when Ohna straddled him and started fucking him, Darious climbing over him and sliding his cock into his mouth also barely registered but he responded vigorously, trained, with too many years of enjoying pleasing partners not to.

Darious groaned. "Oh fuck he's good...shit...I was all pissed when we got this assignment but shit!" He moaned again, starting to thrust into Vanders eager skilled mouth, groaning again when the man took him in completely without hesitation or any sign of discomfort, his throat working around him tight and hot.

"I think he's far enough gone...I'm gonna start the line…" Rena said, pulling out her purse and producing a long thick needle and jar.

Darious groaned, waving at her. "F-fuck...wait a minute...Gods! Let me finish, shit! Don't want him...nnngh! Biting me…" Vanders hands never left Ohnas hips, keeping her steady on him as Darious came, shuddering and thrusting a few more times into the shadowquips mouth, groaning when he felt the man swallow all he had.

He slumped to the side panting. "Holy fuck...best fucking blowjob I've ever had!" Darious groaned, Rena rolled her eyes, looking at the shadow quip hungrily.

"Yeah, well, I haven't got mine yet, maybe you should run this line since his mouth isn't busy anymore…" Rena stated, licking her lips.

Darious smirked at her, sliding down to the floor beside the bench Vander lay on, Ohna was ignoring them, clearly having too much fun herself. "Maybe I'll wait till Ohna gets hers...he's pretty well hung…I wouldn't mind a ride…" She sneered, leaning up and kissing Vander, adding to his distraction while Darious inserted the needle. The shadowquip tensed but didn't stop his thrusts up into Ohna, his tongue only stalling a moment against Renas.

"Fuck...I...oh God he's good…" Ohna gasped out, reaching her end with a moan.

"That good with the load of drugs we've put into him is saying something, I'd be fucking unconscious if I'd swallowed that much of this shit." Darious said waving his lip balm in the air before smearing more on and moving to kiss Vanders mouth again, watching Rena shove a panting Ohna off the Shadowquip so she could straddle him and eagerly start taking her own pleasure from the willing man.

She groaned as she sank down onto him. "Oh fuck….oh he's bigger than you Darious dear...Gods!" She gasped as Vander gripped her hip with his one free hand and started moving.

Darious held his arm still, the jar slowly filling as Rena took her turn. "Oh my Gods…" She gasped out as Vander started meeting her movements more forcefully. Darious slid the needle out, sealing the jar and stowing it safely in Renas pack. Once his arm was free Vander flipped Rena, settling between her legs and driving into her hard and she bit her lip to keep from screaming.

"Oh...my...Gods!" She gasped out, Ohna was smirking, leaning in to run a hand down Vanders ass over his taut thighs.

"Uh huh...Oh Darious, we should have more fun….we could make sure he got back to his hotel...right?" She asked hopefully. Darious had moved and was watching Vander pumping into Rena, his red shirt still on, though open, his black pants shoved down to his knees so the play of the muscle beneath the tan skin and tatoos was easy to watch.

"Oh fuck yes…" He grinned and prompted the shadowquip to move and he did, lifting off and out of Rena who whimpered and quickly shoved the table aside as Darious brought Vander to the floor, standing over her as she got on her knees in front of the hazy eyed mage.

He grasped her hips and thrust into her, making her smile. "Oh...oh Gods...he's so…" She couldn't finish, mewling as Vander started moving. Darious smirked, standing over her and coaxing Vander to tip his head up so he could slide his cock into the mans mouth again.

"Yeah he is, one more gorgeous...I can't wait all the way back to Magnolia without at least one more from you...nnngh...oh holy Gods...I love our boss….best assignment ever…"

Vander woke late during the day, naked with painfully bright sunlight hitting his eyes, tangled in the sheets on a bed he didn't remember getting into. Groaning he slid his hand over the bed, seeking a body but finding nothing but cool sheets. He was reluctant to open his eyes, the last thing he remembered was going to a club in Hargeon? It was all a haze.

A pounding sound made him groan again, his head was throbbing and his body was achy, as his senses checked in he smirked faintly, he decidedly smelled of sex, alot of it too, he remembered the trio he'd met and cracking an eye open frowned, he was laying on his bed in his hotel room...how the fuck had he gotten back to…

Pounding again, his door, someone was pounding on his door.

"Vander?! Vander you shit open this door!" He rolled to his back groaning quietly and sliding from the bed reluctantly at the sound of Bickslows voice. Not bothering to cover himself, it was just his brother after all, he staggered to the door noting there were empty wine bottles on the table and womens underwear on a chair back, they must have returned here after partying in Hargeon…but why was his head like this? He hadn't drank much, certainly nothing close to his usual limit.

He opened the door and Bickslow and Gajeel both reacted immediately, Bickslows eyes flying wide then narrowing, Gajeel wrinkling his nose.

"Fuck Vander, you smell like an Autumn City Whorehouse." Gajeel growled, shoving Vander back into the room. Bickslow heaved a sigh following his mate and closing the door behind him.

"Well at least we know what you've been up to, you didn't go see Rogue...that's obvious." Bickslow frowned.

Vander cast a glare at him, walking into the bathroom, not bothering with the door and turning on the shower. "I went and had fun, I came here for a vacation you know." He reminded his brother.

"I know that Van, and you've been fucking your way through Magnolia since you got here, but seriously, why didn't you go see Rogue, you were all into him the other night." Bickslow demanded leaning on the doorframe as Vander showered.

"I didn't feel like it. Shit Bix I thought you DIDN'T want me fucking your guildmates?! What the hell, make up your damn mind!" Vander shot back. "And lower your voice...fuck I'm hung over."

Bickslow frowned at that comment. Vander never drank until he was drunk, it was risky for him, his control over his magic was too important and he always preferred sex when he was in full control of his senses, he never did drugs, never drank too much.

"Not the point Vander, point is you said you'd go see him, and if I'm right you really fucking NEED to go talk to him. I saw your soul act a certain way when you were on stage the other night…"He said and Vander frowned.

"Other night? You mean last night." He grumbled and Bickslow snorted.

"Shit Van, how much did you fucking drink? It's been three days man, Rogue hasn't been to the guild at all, even had Sting and Xally take Frosh for him which is way weird." Bickslow commented.

"He doesn't smell like booze…" Gajeel said suddenly and Bickslow snapped his head around looking at Gajeel with a frown.

"He doesn't? But he says he's hung over…"

Gajeel shook his head, taking a few sniffs around the room and frowned "No...I smell drugs, poison...not the fun kinds either…" He said darkly and pulled Bickslow out of the doorway as Vander shut off the water and emerged from the shower, rubbing his hair with a towel.

Gajeel grabbed his arm suddenly and glared at the large bruise there.

"What the…" Vander started to protest but then he frowned too looking at his arm.

"This was from a needle...too small for a knife…" He said softly, he knew blades, they were part of his life in a big way, he'd been stabbed...with a serious needle.

"It's been three days? Seriously?" He asked and Gajeel and Bickslow nodded, Bickslows anger was gone now, his brother partied, and had his good times but never lost track of time, not ever, at his worst, had Vander ever gone that far. His brother valued his presence of mind, always kept himself reasonably sharp because he worked in dangerous circles and couldn't afford to drop his guard. There was no way Vander had deliberately done this.

"Ok, lets get you to see Cristoff and Erik, find out what's in you Van and make sure it's not going to get worse…" Bickslow said, remembering the seed he'd been poisoned with by the Madame. Gajeel remembered it too and pushed Vander to hurry and get dressed while Bickslow called Cristoff to make sure he'd be at the guild when they got there.

Crisoff pulled Vander up to the infirmary as soon as he arrived and Wendy watched with close interest as the older healer checked his brother over, cleared what he could and then they called Cobra in.

The Poison slayer made a face. "Fuck...this is like what was in Bickslow…" He observed, sinking his teeth into Vanders shoulder ignoring the shadowquips faint grimace. Vander remained still, he knew how Cobra did his work, and he still felt...off, the headache and hazy head had mostly been cleared by Cristoffs magic but he hoped Cobra could clear the rest of it and restore him. He was already feeling hungry, which made sense because he hadn't eaten in three days, something he planned to fix as soon as he was done because he'd seen Lucy tucking into a plate of spaghetti that looked amazing on his way in.

Bickslow and Gajeel exchanged worried glances and Kaleb frowned as Cobra leaned back in and bit Vander again, pushing the antidote into his blood to clear out what had been put into him.

"No memories?" Kaleb asked, already knowing the answer, he'd plunged right into his brothers head as soon as he'd come in after Bickslows call. He'd met three young mages on the train, by the time he reached Hargeon thought was already difficult and the memories were spotty at best, all involving a little drinking and a whole lot of sex, which, for Vander, wasn't out of the norm at all.

The drugs and poison though, that was completely unlike him, he never used drugs, even his drinking was light and measured, Vander was too disciplined and too in tune with things, too committed to keeping his senses sharp to let himself get drunk, he'd always been that way.

"Nothing you haven't already pulled Kaleb, really, it was a normal night for me, and I was plenty willing, no idea why those three drugged me...except for the needle shit...and they did that AFTER drugging the fuck out of me." He sighed.

Kaleb nodded, exchanging a look with Cristoff who reached up and pushed his baby brothers bangs out of his eyes. "You're clear now, they took your blood though, go eat something and you'll feel a lot better." He urged and Vander sat up looking seriously at Gajeel.

"You had me look into that guild, Nightmare, after what happened to Levy, after you and Kaleb...the shit with the Hellborne? I dug hard, nailed one of their lieutenants in South Seven last month, me and an energy mage friend of mine from work, Presca, I think you've met him...we drilled the guy hard...as in...he didn't walk away. Anyhow, their main leader is currently being held in a Pergrandian prison, pissed off the wrong politicians there and Nightmare has been getting their leadership from some unknown source for the last 18 months, someone took it over in the leaders absence, only the first four highest ranked guild members, including Rotbull, work directly with the new leader, when there are meetings, the leader doesn't attend in person, they hear her voice through a lacrima and the top three enforce her will through the guild." Vander said.

Gajeel blinked in amazement, Nightmare had been taken over by a woman leader? With its heavy involvement in human trafficking and how often they messed women up, he was surprised.

"So this new leader is behind whatever the fuck they're doing." Bickslow said frowning, he'd forgotten Vanders promise to Gajeel, to go and find out what he could about Nightmare.

"You guys eliminated Ruger, there's still Quince of the men who were involved with what happened to Levy...the woman who messed with Xally, Sting, and Laxus is called Tressa, she's been with Nightmare for 14 years and is one of the four. The other two are a Wind mage named Jerix and a Seith mage named Cuther. All of them are high level, high power mages who fought and killed their way to their positions in the guild and they all have complete loyalty to this new leader, whoever she is." Vander said.

Gajeel nodded, rising. "Good job...thanks for that. Go eat, I need to talk to the master, Bix, make sure he eats and gets his ass over to see Rogue." The Iron slayer narrowed his eyes on Vander before he stepped aside and gestured toward the stairs. Vander rolled his eyes, standing and a deep dark snug shirt formed over his bare torso, soft leather boots taking the place of his usual greaves over his black jeans. He headed downstairs then, Bickslow going with him while Gajeel watched them leave.

"There's more, Bickslow said Vanders soul was reacting to Rogues, so something is going on there, why would they take his? Just because he's a member of your family? That's all of you now isn't it? They've taken blood from all of your family?" Gajeel asked and Kaleb shook his head.

"Except for Farron and...and our other brother who they can't reach...I'm wondering if this is all Rotbull, he's a blood mage, but I can't see why he'd be collecting our blood, there has to be a reason, but there are hundreds of ceremonies, thousands of rituals involving blood…" He sighed.

"Not likely, with a new leader he wouldn't want to rock the boat that hard, it has to be this new leaders plans." He growled shaking his head.

Gajeel squeezed Kalebs shoulder, moving past him to head downstairs.

"We'll find out Kaleb." Cristoff said, nodding at Wendy and following her from the infirmary. Cobras arms around him made Kaleb relax and lean into his mate gratefully.

"I have a really bad feeling about all of this…" He sighed and Cobra pressed his lips together in a frown.

"Like Cris said, we'll figure it out, now lets make sure your little brother gets his ass over to see Rogue, Bickslows suspicions sound right, and your baby brother is feeling a pull even though he's denying it vehemently to himself…." He said. Kaleb nodded and followed Cobra down the stairs to the guild hall.

Vander ate, feeling better by a huge margin once he did, though the drive, the NEED to see Rogue was still firmly in place, something he'd thought would have lessened. He felt off still, like his world was out of balance and for a man who spent his life walking sharp edges, was trained in balance and precision, it wasn't a good feeling, was so far from normal it alarmed him.

"Go, get off your ass and go see him." Cobra snapped at him not completely unkindly but the mans cool indigo gaze left no margin for much argument. Vander rolled his eyes.

"Fine, but Bix had better not bitch about me sleeping with one of you guys' guildmates because I won't promise not to...If anything, I plan to make an effort to get into that guys pants." He said flippantly, annoyed at the conflicting messages he'd gotten, his own weird feeling of being off balance and out of sorts, losing three damn days to some blood drawing loonies he damn well knew he'd had sex with and didn't even have the pleasant memories to enjoy or ease his raging libido.

Giving Cobra a wicked smirk he slid from his barstool and headed out the doors of the guild, to go find Rogue, fuck the man absolutely senseless, and get on with his damn life, he had to get back to work in a few days and he wasn't entirely happy about that fact.

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It had been a few days since the performance.

And Rogue was avoiding the guild like the plague.

Instead, he holed up in his room, in the apartment that he and Sting used to live together in. Now, after meeting Xally, Sting had moved out when they had managed to find a place, leaving the apartment to Rogue. He was stretched out on his bed, hands tucked under his head, staring blindly at the ceiling above him. His lips were lightly bruised from being caught between his sharp teeth repeatedly, and the signs of lack of sleep were evident by the bags under his eyes.

He honestly had no idea what to do. He knew his dragon had made it's choice. But it was a choice that he couldn't allow to happen. Vander had a life back in Bosco, and as a shadowquip, his particular skills made him invaluable to his home kingdom. He had seen each of his friends, each slayer finding their mates, and while each of those mates were siblings to Bixlow, they probably didn't have as many responsibilities to their home land as Vander did.

It wasn't a lack of desire, Gods no, he ached for his mate, his dragon was nearly torturing him now and the certainty of that never getting better terrified him.. He would need Vander like air for the rest of his life, and now, knowing, having touched him, made that contact, now he would never know peace unless he was with his mate, unless they mated, consummated everything and were fully bound to each other, if they did that, after a while, he'd be able to be apart from his mate but never for too long.

He'd never really put much thought into what his mate would be like, but now he knew, tall, graceful, handsome, so intensely sexy and wickedly flirtatious Vander was just sinful. He was talented, successful, Gods his mate could play the guitar and sang like an angel, that voice, that silken gorgeous voice would haunt him forever. So would the memories of seeing him on stage, moving against his guitar, the feel of Vanders caress even if it had just been at a distance using his magic, the scent of him.

Gods seeing him there, shirtless, Cana and Mira all over him in that storage room, Rogue had drifted between fury, confusion, and unbelievable pain as he'd struggled with a dragon inside him roaring that he should kill the women, take his mate, claim him on the floor right on top of the vanquished bodies of his rivals.

Just remembering that night had Rogue groaning and rolling over to shove his face into his pillows, feeling his dragon straining against him, and releasing a snarl in response. Even now, days later, he could still smell the man, hear him, feel the calloused palm against his own. He had to avoid the man at all costs, so that when Vander left, it wouldn't be as painful.

"You know...no matter how hard you press your face into that pillow, you won't be able to suffocate yourself before your body stops you." An amused voice sounded out behind him. Seeing as how Rogue had been alone in the room before he rolled over, hearing that had him yelping as he flipped and jumped in shock, flailing as he ended up rolling off the edge of the bed, his blankets twisting around and trapping his legs.

Vivid curses flew around the room, echoed by deep belly laughs as Rogue tried to get his legs free so he could stand up. Snarling, he reached down to tear through the linen, allowing the pain and anger of seeing the other shadow mage to strengthen his arms.

"Awwww falling for me already are we?" Vander cooed from his spot leaning back against the closed bedroom door, hands tucked into the back pockets of his tight fitting black jeans.

"Oh yea, absolutely, falling for the man who is only here for a short time to visit family, really smart of me." Rogue snapped, managing to free his legs and rolling to his feet to glare at the quirked eyebrow aimed at him.

"Ooohh someone's grumpy." Vander huffed, shifting to cross his arms over his chest. "And looks like shit. Have you gotten any sleep lately?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no." Rogue answered in a low tone. "Now how the hell did you get in here? I have traps set throughout the apartment that would've alerted me to a visitor."

"Shadowquip remember? I can bend any type of shadow to my will. I think I showed that to you clearly enough that night at the guild." Vander smirked, a knowing look in his eyes as he let his gaze wander down over Rogue's body and back up again. Taking a breath, he took one step and disappeared, only to reappear right in front of Rogue, his body just grazing along the smaller mage. There was just the right difference in height, just two or three inches, it was enough so Rogues head had to tilt up to meet the heated wine colored eyes of his mate as Vander gazed into the eyes that had widened and pupils that had turned into slits as Vander trailed the back of a finger over Rogues throat.

The sharp inhale that Rogue took stuttered in his lungs even as he took an instinctive step back to get away from Vander. Only to have him take one step forward, keeping him in Rogues space.

"Don't." Rogue frowned. Vander smirked playfully, his mischievous eyes undoing Rogues grip on his resolve moment by moment.

"Don't what exactly? We didn't get to be very near each other at the guild the other day and I know you wanted to…" Vander countered.

Another few steps that were matched had Rogue's back against the wall and struggling to keep his dragon at bay, even as he lowered his gaze. He knew, instinctively, that if he had kept his gaze on Vander's, he likely would've tackled him, and started something that couldn't be finished. The amount of need, desire coursing through him was painful, and having Vander right there, right in front of him, smelling so good, his shining black hair loose around his shoulders, his defined chest outlined by a skin tight maroon t-shirt, his full tempting lips curled in a sultry smile.

"You shouldn't be here Vander." Rogue said softly, his hands clenching at his sides.

"Why? You've been avoiding the guild, and I've wanted to talk to you." Vander countered, so close his breath fanned through Rogues hair and he knew if he looked up he'd have that smiling mouth on his. He wasn't usually this aggressive, he really wasn't, he always played, but not usually like this, he was just so driven, wanted this shadow mage more by the moment.

"I'll say it again, you shouldn't be here." Rogue repeated, this time growling slightly.

"I want to know why you haven't been there. I know I made it clear that I want you, and you certainly didn't give any impression of not wanting the same, the way you got so hard in my touch that night..." Vander stated smugly his voice purring, lifting a hand to trace gentle fingers along the curve of Rogues shoulder, his smirk turning into a smile when he felt the telltale shiver under his fingertips. "And your body tells me that it wants the same." He added then in a softer breathy tone, smoothing his fingers down Rogues arm.

"It doesn't matter." Rogue whispered, his head ducked, voice cracking as sudden tears of conflict burned in his throat. He couldn't stop the moan that escaped him as Vander lifted his other hand to slide the fingers of both hands he had so admired into his dark hair, pinning him further against the wall. the feel of those fingers burrowing into his hair, skimming along his scalp, of Vander leaning closer, so close the warmth of his body could be felt, it was pleasure and pain.

"And why would that be? I can tell you've been with men and women, albeit only a couple of them, maybe you're a little inexperienced but it can't be a question of your preferences. I know you want me, I can feel it, I'm not a Dragon Slayer but I can even smell it from you...I want you just as bad I promise. Are you promised to someone?" Vander asked quietly, leaning down to nuzzle into Rogues neck. Inhaling that luscious sugared pear scent and letting his eyes roll back in pleasure. His warm breath fanning over his skin as lips ghosted over his throat,

Feeling his mate nuzzle into him had Rogue choking on a moan as he planted his hands against the wall behind him hard enough to leave finger dents. It took an extra moment for him to realize he had been asked a question, and he mentally lavished gratitude on Xally for teaching him some of the Boscan ways, one of which was the promise to another. He wanted to lie. So badly did he want to lie, if it meant it got his mate away from him.

But he couldn't.

Not to his mate, not about something like that. The pain it could cause him was something that would bring no end of torment to Rogue. Gritting his teeth, he managed to growl out his answer. The answer he felt was the truth.

"No. And I never will be."

"Hmmmm, more fun to experience different flavors then, wouldn't you agree?" Vander asked, feeling his body shudder in response to his touch right against his ear. Hearing the smug satisfaction, and confidence, Rogue felt his heart crack slightly, and the burn of tears in his eyes became painful. Vander felt incredible, and all he had to do was reach out, lean forward the slightest bit and he could have him, could press against that tall body and accept what was being so freely offered. Freely now, but Vander didn't know...didn't know what he was or what Rogue would take if they touched much more.

"I might. But not this time. Not with you." Rogue said, forcing himself to still completely, not letting a single shiver or twitch give him away. Feeling Vander pull away and look down at him with a confused frown, he shifted into his shadow form and darted past him, to reappear behind the other shadow mage.

Turning quickly, Vander met the crimson gaze that held no small amount of pain and longing, and felt his own stomach and heart lurch, feeling like he was about to lose something incredibly important, even when he didn't know what it even was, he couldn't stop himself from throwing one last question at Rogue, a need to know driving him.

"Why not? After what happened the other night, why not enjoy a little fun with each other?" Vander demanded, hands clenching at his sides. He didn't understand it. He knew how to back off, how to let rejection just roll off his back. But this time, he couldn't bring himself to shrug and leave. His body wouldn't let him. This time, he'd wanted it too much. "I could make it better than anything you've ever had before...Ryos…"

Hearing his mate say his name made him wince in acute pain, his dragon screaming inside of him, begging, demanding he rush into the taller mages arms. Feeling the last bit of his control straining, close to snapping, he could damn well scent his mates arousal, desire for him and it was too much to bear. Rogue bit out his answer before disappearing into the shadows once more.

"Because it wouldn't be JUST a little bit of fun with each other! You're my mate and I can't have you!"

To say Vander went instantly numb, and became too stunned to move, shocked senseless, would've been an understatement, and that was his excuse for not chasing after the shadow dragon slayer, as he watched the shadows race from the small apartment.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

It wouldn't be until much, much later when Vander stumbled into the guild hall, that any of the other slayers would find out what had happened.

It was mid-afternoon, the guild wasn't crowded, but members were littered around the hall, and in the center of it all were the slayers and their mates who had shoved a couple of long tables together and were enjoying lunch together. Pausing on the threshold of the guild, and seeing them gathered, he let his gaze drift over each pair in the order he had been told about by Bix.

Bix had found his soulmates in Gajeel, the iron dragon slayer and Levy, the cute little script mage. They were seated together, Levy sitting sideways in Gajeels lap with her legs stretched out across Bix's, enjoying the caresses she was getting along her legs, and the absent minded tugs of her hair as it was played with. He could see they were happy, content, even glowing with the bond that was between them.

His brother Kaleb, the still current master of White Sea, and currently on hiatus from the guild as he spent time with his mate, Erik, the poison dragon slayer who had not had a great start in life. There had been some rough spots, but they had managed to make it through, he could see the gleaming band of white gold on Eriks finger, the matching one on Kalebs. He knew he hadn't missed their wedding, if he had, he would've gotten another verbal lashing from the rest of the family. But he knew his older brother had about moved Heaven and Earthland to be able to be where he was in that moment, to stay with Erik, live in Magnolia. Kaleb had been stunned to find he was a Dragon Slayers mate, but he'd embraced it, fought for it, and now they were happy. Kaleb had straddled the bench, allowing Erik to lean back into his embrace, who would also glare venomously at anyone who thought to poke fun at him with the display of affection. When they had met, it had apparently been with a great deal of confusion, but acceptance at what they had found with each other.

Shifting his gaze further, he saw Cristoff leaning over his own mate, Natsu, the fire dragon slayer. Cristoffs hands were braced on either side of Natsu, caging him against the table as he pressed against the smaller mage from behind with an amused look on his face. Natsu's own face had a, what Vander could admit was a downright adorable, pout, as he huffed and pointedly did not look at his mate. It was only another moment before one of Cristoff's hands lifted and slid into the pink locks of hair, firmly tilting Natsu's face to look at him with a raised brow. Slumping in defeat, Natsu sighed before nodding, tilting his head further to accept a heated kiss from his mate. They were, quite literally, as different as night and day, and yet they still worked well for each other. Cristoff loved how challenging his mate was, it frustrated him at times, but he'd always had ridiculous amounts of patience.

Laxus and Emzadi. Now that had been a pairing that had come completely out of left field, but again it just worked. They had mimicked Erik and Kaleb, only Laxus was the one leaning back into Emzadi's embrace, matching content grins on their face as they watched their family. Emzadi had always been like the sun her magic was based in, 6 feet tall, blonde and built like every boys most heated dreams she'd always stood out and it wasn't that surprising her mate had turned out to be the massive Lightning Slayer. They were both bigger than life, pissing-yourself worthy strong, and had a bond so deep already between them, and those they considered family, that Vander actually felt a bit of pity for anyone who was stupid enough to attempt to hurt any of them. Mercy wasn't likely to be on the attackers side if those two found out about it.

Then there was the most recent pairing that had happened. Sting and Xally. Like Natsu and Cristoff they appeared to be complete opposites. Vander knew there was a great deal of smarts under the prankster exterior Sting gave to those around him, but only those truly close to him knew of the brains. And Xally, like Cristoff, was a quiet, thoughtful little water mage who had, on more than one occasion brought each Pradesh sibling to their knees, but they would just as quickly stride through hell for her. She was close to all of them, with her hidden streak of troublemaker endearing her to her siblings. Even now, Sting sat on the table directly, legs spread to accommodate Xally as she scolded him for being on the table in the first place, an indulgent smile on his face as he braced elbows on his knees and messed with the ends of her hair.

The table itself was littered with plates of partially eaten food, mugs of various drinks scattered around them. Vander could only watch as his own wistful smile crossed his face, seeing his family happy like this. Seeing them come together like this, so quickly had shocked many, but now, actually seeing it, there was peace. Even if only for a moment. Because he knew that as soon as Erik and Kaleb caught onto his thoughts, and realized what had happened, he was going

to-

"Vander, what the hell did you do?!" Kaleb demanded, his head snapping around as he caught his just arrived brothers thoughts. He personally had enjoyed the way Vander had initially looked over each of his siblings with their mates, but as soon as he had heard those thoughts take on a darker tone, he knew something was wrong. His question immediately caught the attention of all of the slayers and mates, and had their individual conversations cutting off. Vander absently noted how eerie it was for each of them to shift at the exact same time until he was the focus of many worried gazes, and two downright pissed ones. Damn the mind and soul hearing!

Gulping slightly, he stayed where he was, hoping that maybe he could make a run for it after he-

"Oh no you don't, you get your ass over here so we can fix this!" Erik snarled, sitting up fully, his gaze furious as he heard the memories echoing through Vanders soul. Hearing those words, delivered that way, Vander felt his stubborn and rebellious side snap into place.

"There's nothing to fix! He knew that I'd be leaving soon! It's not my fault he had to tell me that I'm his mate! He could've just left it alone!" He snapped, then blanched as he realized the hole he had just dug himself.

He'd grown up in a home with two dragon slayers as siblings, had learned to walk gripping the scales of the massive Lunar Dragon Nurem, he knew, KNEW what mates meant.

He couldn't even hide behind preferring women, everyone of his siblings knew he had no preferences, he'd slept with more women than men but that was more due to the fact women were drawn to him and he was approached by them more often than it was related to what he enjoyed more. He was pretty much impartial, pleasure was pleasure, sex was sex.

So when he said that his siblings universally frowned.

"I'm sure I didn't hear you say that load of bullshit just now. Rogue told you then…told you you're his mate? Confirmed it?" Cristoff demanded.

Vander narrowed his eyes. "Yes, and nothing happened dammit so don't look at me like that Cris, it's not like I fucked him and walked off, we didn't do a damn thing. But he told me I was his mate and that he knew he couldn't have me. Then he took off, didn't give me so much as a minute to say anything." He said. "And why aren't any of you surprised?" He demanded.

"Because we heard him fucking growl after watching you the other night, so we suspected it. We recognize different growls dammit. Not to mention what Bix saw with your souls! And what do you mean, can't have you? It's not optional, a mate can't be denied, once the dragon soul finds them that's it, consummated, marked or not, you're mates and separation just weakens you both. Vander…this is basic shit…basic shit you fucking KNOW." Cristoff growled.

Vander leaned on the support pillar he was standing by, glaring at his family. "Yeah well I didn't know we were mates ok? When I was messing around the other day I just thought he was interested for some fun, I'm not a mind or soul reader, I went to his place yesterday to ask him why he hadn't been around just like all of you TOLD me to because I'm due in fucking Hargeon tonight now damn it, to catch my flight home, it's not like I don't have at least 50 jobs waiting for me right now…Fuck! I knew I shouldn't have come here, I fucking knew a vacation was a bad idea with all of you taking time off because you've found your damn mates, I didn't WANT a mate! I'm happy being single, fuck!" He snarled.

He rammed the sole of his boot into the Pillar behind him, glaring at the floor because he couldn't meet the eyes of the people he cared about.

"Vander…where is Rogue?" Sting asked. He'd kept quiet until now but only because he was too stunned to speak, now, Xally had turned to face her brother and was standing between his legs leaning back against his chest, were it not for her cool soothing presence in his arms, he would have flown at Vander, beat his head against that pillar.

"I don't know, he took off after he told me and I was a little too stunned by the news to follow him, I went back to the hotel to think and when I got up this morning I went to his place to find out if he was serious but he wasn't there so I figured I'd check here…I don't have time for this, I need to get to Hargeon." Vander replied.

"No, you're not running from this, you can't, you'd be putting your life and Rogues at risk if you did." Kaleb said firmly, turning and getting to his feet.

Vander narrowed his eyes again. "I'm not missing my flight Kaleb, a couple of the jobs I have waiting can't be blown off and one is time sensitive." He snapped.

Kaleb closed the distance between them, his eyes hard and set firmly. "Then I'll contact Farron and have him arrange for another person to take it off your hands…you're staying Vander, until we clear everything up and sort it out, you think you're the only one with responsibilities? I have a guild with 17 branches and over 4000 members waiting for me in Bosco, not to mention back home, and it's not like I can just hand it off to someone. I couldn't afford to take this time off any more than you could but when something like this comes, you don't hesitate, you don't doubt, you fucking fight for it. I know you, I know how you are, but this wasn't some cheap fuck for fun Van, you're the mate of a Dragon Slayer."

Vander frowned. "I didn't fuck him! Nothing happened, not a damned thing Kaleb, ok? Shit we didn't even kiss or anything. So maybe we can still walk away… Not like either of us are getting a damn thing but misery out of this!"

"I already said that doesn't matter Van. Just…wait ok? Lets find Rogue and we'll sit down and figure this out." Cristoff said.

"Where would Rogue go Sting? We need to find him, he and Vander need to hash this out, the sooner the better for both their sakes." Cristoff asked.

Sting drew a breath. "Library maybe, I know a spot I can check not far from here, usually if he's brooding on something he just goes home and needs privacy…it's why I haven't bugged him the last few days. He's been…brooding." Sting admitted.

"Yeah well I just left his place, he's not there, and by the looks of it, he packed some shit in a hurry and left so I came here…" Vander crossed his arms over his chest shifting uneasily.

Kaleb smiled faintly. "Looking for him…like you damn well know you should be. Ok, we need to find out where he went…." He trailed off and Levy was shimmying off Gajeels lap.

"I'll check the libraries where I've seen him before!" She said determinedly. Gajeel and Bix both standing to join her.

"I'll check the spot I know near here." Sting said, easing himself from the table, smiling faintly when Xallys fingers laced with his, making it clear she was staying with him.

As those people headed out Kaleb nodded toward the table at Vander. "Have a seat little brother, I'll buy you a drink if you just relax." He offered.

Vander glared at him. "Relax? Are you fucking kidding me? You know…I almost didn't come here Kaleb…I almost took the 1pm to Hargeon…I didn't want this…I'm not ready…" He hissed.

Kaleb put a hand on his shoulder, almost wincing at the riot his brothers thoughts were turning into. He was completely conflicted, the cold hearted Blood Hunter covert operative he was wrote Rogue off, but the rest of him wasn't sure, and a small part of him…wanted the Shadow Slayer.

"I wasn't either, neither was Erik, he's a good person you know…has a cute little cat, an Exceed like Lily named Frosh." Kaleb smiled trying to be encouraging. He could hear the panicked worries about losing all he'd fought for, never having fun again…something he knew from personal experience was decidedly not true.

"I heard about Frosh before…" Vander heaved a sigh letting his brother pull him to the table finally. Kinana put a cold beer in his hand while Erik looked at him carefully and he wouldn't meet the mans indigo gaze.

"Frosh is at Stings place with Stings Exceed Lector…Rogue dropped her off there right after the performance the other night." Wendy said, knowing this because Carla had gone over to check on the sweet little cosplaying exceed. Vander didn't respond, keeping his eyes on the table. It was bad enough he couldn't hide a thought from Kaleb, Cobra heard his damn soul.

"You want him…and not just for a fun fuck…sooner you admit that and make peace with it, the better off you'll be." Erik said, reaching to touch Kaleb without even realizing he was until his mate put an arm around him and rested his chin on his shoulder, leaning against his back. The contact was immensely soothing.

Hearing Kaleb admit to all the trouble he was dealing with because he was his mate had made Cobra cringe. He knew it wasn't his fault, knew Kaleb didn't hold a damn thing against him for it but it still pained him. He needed him, needed Kaleb like air, when he was there nightmares didn't plague him, he woke up smiling, fingers curling in silken platinum hair, strong arms around him. Kaleb was a light in the darkness for Cobra now and he knew, felt, through the ever growing bond they had, he was that for Kaleb as well.

He had never in his life experienced passion and pleasure on the levels Kaleb could bring them, but more than that, was the unwavering love, something Kaleb had given him quickly, no reservations, no doubts and it staggered him, he'd never thought he'd know that emotion, but he did now. He hadn't spoken the words but Gods did he feel it, he loved Kaleb, with every ounce of his being he loved his mate. It had happened so fast, but ran so very deep.

Did he think he'd end up mated to a 6'3" blonde powerhouse? A Wizard Saint and Guildmaster already before he'd reached 25? Hell no, Cobra had wondered for a while why he'd never felt drawn to Kinana, or Lucy, or any of the beauties Fairy Tail had to offer, some sweet woman who would give him beautiful children, warm his bed and burrow into his arms on the couch.

He'd been surprised just how much he enjoyed being the one who burrowed into strong arms. Not having to be hard and strong, organized or anything else, just being…loved. He fucking had that now.

He knew everything Kaleb felt about it, first, he could hear the mans beautiful soul clear and soothing, calm and strong better than any other he'd ever heard. Second, Kaleb told him, never held back a damn thing. From being stunned he was a mans mate and would be coupled with a man for the rest of his life, to everything related to the guild, Cobras past, all of it.

The dark beautiful mark on Kalebs neck hadn't been easy for Cobra to put there. Intimacy, touching, it was hard on him, and even with Kaleb reading his thoughts, able to respond instantly to his needs, it had taken more than one try before everything had finally clicked, Kalebs gentle patience and some serious hardships they had gone through had made it happen though, and they had been pretty active since, Cobra getting more and more demanding of that portion of their relationship as he got more and more comfortable with touching, being held, intimacy and everything that went into it.

He and Kaleb maybe more than any of the others, could relate to Vanders hesitations and fears. It didn't mean he'd let the little fucker skip out and try to walk away from this. He'd seen the damn tease on stage.

Fuck, Cana, Mira, Laki and about six or seven other women had been just about to throw their panties at him. He knew Cana and Mira both had tried to catch him after the performance, and that the two had gone into a storage room where they had almost gotten what they had been after, Vander being plenty willing.

Gods, Cobra couldn't imagine how that would feel, he couldn't imagine seeing Kaleb with lust minded women who reeked of arousal hanging all over him when he'd first met him, first realized what he was. He'd been lucky, Kaleb had realized what was happening almost before Cobra himself had, and had accepted it almost immediately, welcomed it, welcomed him.

But Vander hadn't, and it was true, Cobra knew it right from the younger mans soul he honestly hadn't known, had honestly just seen Rogue as a potentially really fun fuck because Rogue used regular, albeit much more powerful than normal because he was a Dragon Slayer, shadow magic and Vander could manipulate shadows, bend them to his will, create them, extinguish them, make them into things, so he could use the shadows Rogue had laced through him in his magic, could do things to Rogues body he really enjoyed doing, having taken a few shadow mages to his bed before, Vander already knew how much fun they were for him.

So he'd wanted Rogue because of that, because of his elegant features, ruby eyes and what, Cobra realized with a smile, was a steadily growing list of things about the man he'd found attractive.

It had, honestly, been that simple.

Until yesterday, when he'd gone to Rogues home at everyones prompting to find out why he'd not been by the guild, wickedly hoping he could lure the man into a fevered roll in the sack before he had to catch his train to Hargeon. Not exactly innocent, but far from evil or even mean, Vander had just wanted some fun, he'd give every bit as good as he got, better really, the things he could do to a shadow mage really were deeply, erotically pleasurable and he'd wanted very much to pleasure the Shadow Dragon Slayer, to drive him wild.

When Rogue had started rejecting him he'd been confused, because Rogue was putting off some seriously mixed signals, and it, uncharacteristically for Vander…hurt. He really wanted Rogue, wasn't even sure why it had been so important to him he'd bothered to find out where he lived and gone looking for him instead of just relenting to Lakis advances and trying out some of her toys with her right from the beginning.

Cobra and Kaleb now both, knew all of this, because Vander couldn't stop himself from replaying it all, wondering where things had taken the turn from just hot fun to…life altering choices. Not even that, choice wasn't on the table…a bond was already forming.

Cobra and Kaleb could both see Rogue in Vanders memory, knew he'd admitted to no sleep and Vander was observant as hell, he'd noticed things like no pots or pans were drying in racks, no scent of food recently prepared, and multiple bottles of whiskey drained dry on the coffee table.

All signs Rogue wasn't handling finding his mate well and that the few days of being separated from him, with no physical bonding, no acknowledgment to soothe his inner dragon, his Dragon Soul was making him suffer. Proof there was a bond trying to form.

Sting came back in with Xally, both frowning and Kaleb and Cobras initial hopeful looks when the doors had opened fell along with Vanders.

"He's not out there, hasn't been out there either, not for a couple of days…" Sting called.

"Who are you looking for?" Lisanna asked, having just come in after taking a break to go pick up some flour and sugar for the guild kitchen.

"Rogue, we can't find him anywhere." Sting replied.

Lisanna smiled. "Well he took a job yesterday, came in, grabbed it, registered it and left, he said he was catching the next train, so there you go, nothing to worry about." She smiled.

"What job did he take?" Sting demanded as Vander stood and crossed to the bar with Kaleb and Cobra.

Laxus stood. "I'll go get the log and find out." He offered, going back to his grandfathers office and emerging a few minutes later with a copy of the job flier Rogue had taken.

Wanted, mage or mages to take down a group of bandits

that have been kidnapping people near Bayview.

Possible S-Class

Reward 2,000,000.00

Contact: Captain of Bayview City Guard

"Isn't Bayview near Darkwater? That's a fucking nest of dark guilds out there, their city guard is serious shit, why would they need mages?" Cobra frowned. It didn't sound right, didn't sound right at all.

If the City Guard of Bayview was having a problem with a group of Bandits, that was cause to call in the damn rune knights, not put in a job request to a wizards guild. Bayviews City guard were badasses, even the Oracion Seis hadn't fucked with that city, they went around it when they had business in that area.

"It is a little bizarre, they're all about fishing and martial arts in that city, I've never seen a job request like this come from them, if we get one it's usually asking for a water mage to work out a stuck ship or something." Laxus agreed.

Vander drew a breath, he wasn't feeling especially well and he didn't know if that was due to the monumental stress he'd been under since Rogue had dropped the whole mate thing on him or if he was just out of sorts because he was damn well wishing he'd kept his ass in Bosco or Archipelago, not like he'd gotten a break in his damn work load.

Boscos Steel Council always had plenty for him to do. Recovery missions though, where he had to get into places, bring back people or things, those he got a lot of, because of the way he could move through the deeper void shadows he could get into pretty much any place regardless of the security undetected, and then back out the same way. He'd brought back plenty of kidnap victims and lifted plans from many a war desk in his 21 years.

Blood Hunts were less common, but he was that as well, the black shield of the Steel Council of Bosco was tattooed on the back of his right shoulder and it was outlined in the deep red blood line for a reason. He took Blood Hunt contracts.

Vander was lethal, Bickslow sometimes kidded about their father bringing Vander along being a gauge of how much danger the King thought he was heading into. He only brought Vander when he knew it was very likely he'd face real and serious attacks.

Vander didn't like that work, he hated it usually. Generally he was sent in to take out pretty terrible people, but sometimes the people he was sent to take out, didn't seem like bad people to him, they were just in the way somehow.

He listened carefully as the others discussed the mission Rogue had taken and winced inwardly. Rogue hadn't looked especially well when he'd seen him, lack of sleep, food and stress had shown and if the misery and pain he'd seen in those ruby eyes had been as deep as what it looked like, he wasn't likely to be careful, more likely to run in blind counting on his fury and frustration to carry him through.

"How far is this place…how long to get there?" He asked, he had never been one to stand around for long and people were starting to repeat things they had already said while everyone was deciding what to do next.

"From Hargeon it would be about 2 hours on the coastal train. So 4 maybe 4 and a half hours total, it's not that far." Laxus replied.

Vander turned on his heel to leave, it was Stings hand on his shoulder that stopped him. He turned and met hard blue eyes edged with worry. "I don't know why he ran from you, Rogues always been quiet, but he's my best friend, and he wouldn't do it over nothing." He said firmly.

Vander nodded, and as he was about to head for the door again when an overwhelming feeling of pain, disorientation and panic hit him and brought him staggering to his knees.

Cobra was catching him before anyone else could react, keeping him from going all the way down and Vander stared dazedly down trying to get his vision to clear but more pain washed over him, terrible, bone deep pain this time sending his vision almost black as Cobra held him and Xally rushed forward.

"Van! Van what is it?!" She demanded, on her knees in front of him swiftly, grasping his face in her hands and pushing magic into him as Cristoff leapt the table and rushed to help her.

For a moment Vanders vision left him entirely, he saw the flashing of magic, it was hitting him, sending pain through him until he could scarcely breathe and suddenly there was a bald man, heavyset, with a brush of a moustache over a sneering mouth. "Fucking Fairy scum…get him in the manacles, he's one of the ones we want, reset the traps, when he doesn't come back or report in…we'll be getting more…fuck…he's almost pretty…ha…chain him in the office…facing the wall…" He laughed darkly and others could be heard joining in his dark amusement. The way the man looked, the hurtful interest that bordered on…Vanders whole being recoiled and there was blackness.

Panting he could smell the warm sea breeze that was his sister, could feel her cool soothing hands on his face and felt her magic probing through him trying to find injury but there wasn't any, the injuries weren't his.

"Ryos…" He rasped and Kaleb blanched, locking eyes with Sting who was wide eyed.

"What?! What the fuck? What about Rogue?!" Sting demanded, fighting the urge to move closer.

"Something…" Kalebs eyes were moving, hazed as he retraced what he'd just pulled from Vanders mind "Rogues been captured…injured…some big bald man...fuck...Rotbull…" He narrowed his eyes and finally closed them, Cobra growled and slid his arms around Kaleb as his mate reeled.

The Fairy Tail mages stilled, eyes widening in horror.

"Nightmare…Fucking Nightmare again. Dark guild that attacked Levy, your brothers, Gajeel." Laxus said.

"Dark Guild?" Vander asked, getting to his feet with Cristoffs help.

"Yeah…I know they don't fuck with Bosco because of…" Laxus snorted nodding toward Kaleb "Fucking White Sea, but they're strong here, the Rune Knights can't get a handle on them. Human trafficking, dark magic items trade, shit if it's nasty as fuck that guild has a hand in it."

"They stepped into the void left when the Bellum alliance fell apart because the Oracion Seis and Grimoire Heart were taken down. They've gotten really strong, Caelum and Midi have been having a lot of trouble with them and in the last two years they've branched into Fiore under a lieutenant called Rotbull, guys a nasty piece of work…I've met him, sick twisted fuck. After what he did to Gajeel and Kaleb, I have my own plans for him too." Cobra said, meeting Kalebs eyes.

He could feel Kalebs anger rising, see plans swirling, images of Rotbull screaming and writhing at his feet, worse than Ruger had. Kaleb wanted Nightmare on its knees, wanted to be the one to burn the darkness out of Rotbull like he had Ruger. Cobra would love nothing more than to be the one to lay them in front of Kaleb and watch his mate destroy them.

"He called Rogue Fairy Scum, said something about resetting traps for more." Vander said, voice steady and strong now but he was alarmed at a sudden void he felt, like a piece of him was missing.

Cobras hand tightened on his shoulder, the younger mages soul was in serious turmoil in spite of the icy calm way he looked, he could see Vander prodding gingerly at a void in himself that hadn't been there until Rogue had been taken.

The shadowquip was getting a nasty taste of what a mate being taken felt like, even with the barely started bond, with no active work to build it between him and Rogue, the dragon magic had already begun it, made space in Vanders soul for the other half of it that was Rogue.

It was good Bickslow wasn't in there right then, Cobra couldn't imagine what it would look like to the Seith, it shook Cobra reminding him of what he had gone through when Kaleb had been taken and he could only hear it, not actually see it. Glancing at his mate he knew Kaleb was seeing it from yet another angle and tightened his fingers on Vanders shoulder again. All anger over the mans stubbornness was gone, Vander wasn't rebelling anymore, he was well aware and terrified by what he was feeling, but to his credit, without magic revealing that, there was no way to tell it, his heart was steady, breathing even, gaze icy and pure business.

"Kinda my thing huh "Master" Kaleb? How many Dark guilds, mages, organizations have I tracked and collected intel from? I'll head down there, better if I'm alone, I know how to not be seen or noticed. I'll find Rogue, get him out...body count will be at my discretion." He added the last because his assignments often said that when he was given license to kill for a job.

He wasn't asking for permission though, he was warning his family, their mates…he wasn't going to be nice about getting Rogue back and he didn't want any of them to give him trouble over it.

Kalebs eyes turned hard. "Agreed…do what you must. Get Rogue back, find out what you can about why they set a trap for a Fairy Tail mage and how it worked so we can warn other guilds." He said firmly.

It wasn't a job, no request had come in, this was purely personal, but Kaleb knew Vander would benefit from being given permission and orders, it triggered a harshly trained in mindset for his youngest sibling that took him from the relaxed, semi-lazy seeming smart ass, to the walking death machine that could take out Dark Guilds and facilitate the downfalls of governments solo.

Vander wasn't ranked, mostly because he'd been busted down so many times it was ridiculous for all the trouble he tended to get into with his gregarious sex life, but he had made S-class 3 times since he was sixteen. If he hadn't kept landing himself in trouble, he long since would be ranked as high as Cristoff who was a double S Century class mage in White Sea, as high as a mage could get short of Guild Master, Council or Wizard Saint.

"I'll keep in touch." Vander vowed and this time walked swiftly out of the guild hall.


	22. Chapter 21

A/N: As promised, the following chapter, published shortly after the previous one. After this there may be a bit of a delay in updates as Densa and I work on the following chapter(s), which we already have parts of, just need to thread them all together. So without further ado, enjoy! And please remember to review!

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Working in foreign countries wasn't new for Vander. Bosco and his own Father sent him out on missions all over Earthland for a variety of things and he spoke more than 20 languages now fluently. His shadows could distort and make his appearance seem different easily, so there wasn't really a living soul outside of his family and those who gave him his missions that knew what he really looked like.

He used that to his advantage, and as he left the station aboard the train to Hargeon, he let his shadows slowly, gradually adjust his looks, to keep from drawing attention from a too sudden change. He managed to keep his face blank, even as his mind stormed with clashing emotions. When he had taken this vacation, at the insistence of his family, finding out he was the mate to a dragon slayer was the last thing he had wanted.

But remembering what the others said, and noticing the difference within that had so suddenly hit him just as the visions had, he found himself questioning that.

What did he want?

He had been part of the Blood Hunters for years, and part of the Steel Council even longer. He had grown up with a dragon, and slayers for siblings. He definitely did not have the standard life that so many had. That so many wanted. A spouse, a family, a home with a white picket fence. He had avoided all of those things like the plague for years.

But now? Already he could feel the difference where Rogue-no, he corrected himself, Ryos- if he was mate to a dragon slayer, he would damn well call his mate by his given name. He could feel where Ryos had already made a difference to him. He recalled the thrill he had felt when they had first touched in the crowded guild hall. He remembered the mesmerizing way his ruby eyes had appeared so much larger as his pupils had shrunk to thin slits.

Those breathless moments in the apartment, when Ryos had been trying to keep him at arms length, trying to deny what he was feeling, needing from Vander and Vander, oblivious to the depth of it all, had played with him, teased and tried to entice him, that sweet scent, the way his body had felt under Vanders shadows that night in the guild hall, so heated and responsive it had made Vander ache to have him.

The part that stuck with him the most though, even now, was the smell. Like smoke and sugared pears, it had drawn him in, even over all of the other smells of the guild. He had thought just having a roll in the sack with the slayer would be enough to get that curiosity out of his system.

Oh how wrong he'd been.

Never had he expected to visit the slayer for some fun before he left only to find out that he was mate to the man. Knowing that now though, and thinking of the things that he had seen his siblings go through and the happiness they now shared, he questioned what he wanted anymore. He knew the others were right, there wasn't a choice. He had had that fact drilled into his head so many times over the years just from being around slayers, that he knew it wasn't a choice. A dragons instincts acted on levels that only ever strengthened the dragon or slayer and the mate. So if he was mate to Ryos the shadow dragon slayer, then he would accept it. He had to, and...he wanted to.

Taking a deep breath, he felt his thoughts calm as he accepted what he had found out. Yea, it would be paperwork hell getting things set up for him to join Fairy Tail, but he knew he was needed in Fiore. Dark things were running rampant here, and his particular skill set would be a great help. Bosco had white sea, and he could still take on various recovery missions, but he wouldn't do blood hunts anymore.

Staring out at the passing scenery, he reached into the pocket of shadows he had that he carried most of his things in, and pulled out his com lacrima. He still had a little time, was only now pulling into the outskirts of Hargeon, and while traveling by shadow may have been faster, he needed to save his strength if he was going to get his mate. Letting a touch of magic flow into the lacrima, he was happy to see that the person he wanted to speak with picked up immediately.

"Vander! It's great to see you son, how're things going?" Arman asked, his own smile causing even Vander to smile slightly in spite of the personal mission he was on.

"Hey Dad, they could be better, but that's not why I'm calling." Vander said, taking another deep breath as he took a moment to let himself think about what he was about to do. He expected more panic, more fear, more resistance. Instead, he found peace, and acceptance. He could only let his breath huff out, realizing that even though there was a void where Ryos had been, the bond was still there, and helping him feel better about his decision.

Seeing his fathers' eyes narrow, he could tell that Arman was fully focused on him now.

"What did you need?" He asked firmly.

Smiling faintly, Vander said the one word, the word that he had been positive he would never say, the one they had all agreed would be his word if he ever decided to take that step, before hanging up on his fathers astonished expression.

"Freedom."

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~Back in Magnolia~

The slayers were still gathered in the guild hall, waiting impatiently, for some word from Vander . It had only been a couple of hours so far, and they all knew he had at least a couple of more hours to travel before he'd reach Dark Water. Unfortunately, it didn't make the waiting game any easier.

The other members in the hall were quietly talking, knowing that something was going on with the slayers, but not sure what, and they certainly didn't want to chance any of their wraths. So when the sharp ring of a lacrima sounded out, the slayers all jumped, and then Kaleb was quick to reach into his pocket, feeling the pulse of magic against his thigh. Seeing who was calling, he bite back a groan before schooling his face into an indifferent expression and answering.

"Hey Dad what's up?" Kaleb asked, angling himself so he wouldn't see the other slayers gathered and their worried faces.

"What the ever loving fuck happened Kaleb?!" Arman demanded. Kaleb could see his lips drawn into a firm line, and the furrow of the brow and couldn't help but gulp in trepidation. There was a very short list of people, less than five actually, of people in his life who could make him nervous with just a look. Vander was one of them, Makarov another as he was a long time family friend; Erik as well, and that was only if he could tell it was something that really bothered him, and of course his father was first on that list for good reason.

Add in that it wasn't often that Arman cursed, and he could tell just how bothered by something his father was.

"What do you mean?" Kaleb asked flatly, hoping to evade answering.

"Your brother Vander just called me, not even a full minute call, just said 'Freedom' and hung up." Arman snarled. "You know that that means, and while I will be more than ECSTATIC to get that process started, I need to know what the hell happened!"

Seeing Kalebs face go slack, then his gaze shoot to those around him, told Arman that his siblings were around.

"He did it? He actually did it?" Emzadi demanded, pushing off Laxus' chest she had been leaning against and rising from the table to peer over her brothers shoulder at their father. "He actually said freedom?"

"Yes he did, now what happened?!" Arman demanded, not ready to start smiling like Emzadi was yet, until he knew what it was that had driven his son to ask for his freedom.

Smiling brightly, she met her fathers eyes.

"He's a dragon slayers mate Dad, and was told as much. He's mate to the shadow dragon slayer Rogue Cheney." She answered. Seeing Arman's face drop in shock was well worth the announcement and would hopefully cushion the blow of the next bit of news.

"H-he is?! That's wonderful news! Why didn't he let me talk to Rogue though? Why isn't he still there with you?"

"Um...well...there was some...misunderstandings, and while he is aware of being a mate, they haven't completed the bond. And they aren't here. Rogue actually was captured, and Vander is on his way to get him now." Kaleb answered carefully. He didn't have to see his father to know the hard look he was now getting.

"And why aren't you with him?" Arman asked quietly, his eyes narrowing.

"Because it's the Nightmare Guild that has Rogue, in Bayview. It was a job that Rogue took, in a fit of anger, that was actually a trap. If we went with them...none of us would've made it back. So Vander is treating this as a recovery mission, and getting his mate back, possibly some information on the guild." Emi explained, propping an elbow on her brothers shoulder.

Armans eyes narrowed and Kaleb drew a breath. "Which isn't an acceptable reason. I promise father, we will be doing all we can to assure Vander and Ryos return home safely." Kaleb said bowing his head. He was the eldest sibling here, this fell squarely on him, he was responsible if anything happened to his brother and, backing off and letting Vander handle this alone, while good for Vanders happiness, wasn't acceptable to their father and he knew it.

Arman nodded, keeping his eyes on his son, his green eyes sharp and holding their worry.

"I want to be kept posted on things, and you inform me the moment you find out that they got out of there alive, do you understand me?" Arman stated firmly, his face set in hard lines.

"Yes father."

"I'll get started on things here, transfer him to Magnolia to become a part of the Fairy Tail guild. His ties with the Steel Council are done. We'll give him the freedom he's asking for."

"The Steel Council are going to fight you on losing him."

"Those idiots can go suck it for all I care. My son wants out from under their thumb, then by the gods, that's what he'll be." With that, Arman cut the connection, leaving Kaleb, Emzadi and the other siblings staring at each other in shock.

"Uh...what was all that about?" Levy asked from her perch on the table. Turning to her, and exchanging glances, Bix took a moment to clear his throat before explaining.

"Vander has been a part of the Steel Council, which is a part of the Bosco military, for a long time. He's also been a blood hunter, or mercenary, for them as well. When he was first approached to be a part of the council, because of his magic allowing him certain skill sets that are invaluable, our father had him come up with a word, one singular word that would tell any of us that he didn't want to be a part of it anymore. He swore up and down he would never say it, that nothing would ever make him even consider using that word."

"Is that what just happened?" Gajeel asked, wrapping his arms around Levy while watching Bix.

"It would appear so. If he ever came to any one of us, and said the word Freedom, we were to give it a month, possibly two, ask him if that was still what he wanted, and if it was, then we'd go to our father to get the process started. But if he ever went directly to Dad and said it, that meant he wanted the process to make it happen to start immediately. If he's on his way to get Rogue, and called Dad to say that...then yea, he's made his decision, and it sounds like he chose to join Fairy Tail." Cristoff answered, propping an elbow on the table and resting his chin in his hand.

"What do we do now?"

"All we can do. We wait."

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~Outskirts of Bayview~

It had been a long four hours by train, and more than once had found Vander gritting his teeth and gripping his pants, trying to control his shadows, as waves and bursts of pain washed over him. The things he could feel they were doing to him, just through this smallest of links, was enough to feed his anger, and he knew there would be much blood shed tonight. His back burned, his wrists stung, and his stomach ached. He didn't know exactly what was happening, he'd only get flashes, but there was definitely something wrong.

Now, he was darting from shadow to shadow, unseen by those still out after the sun had set, and unlike other times, when he had screams to follow, they wouldn't help him here. He had followed the still incessant tugging he felt in his chest, in spite of the void there, and ended up past Bayview, and easing into Dark Water. Screams, cries, and whimpers for help were heard constantly, and if it wasn't for the connection they already had, he wasn't sure how long it would've taken him to find Ryos.

It wasn't until he was in what could be roughly called the warehouse district, out on the edge of the water that the place was named after, that he caught the first smell of him. Catching that smell, under a thick taint of blood had his own instincts going haywire, and it wasn't long before he slid under the door, and past the traps laid, each one he carefully reversed before he passed so they would turn on the people who had been relying on them...he wanted their blood spilt, as much of it as he could stain the grounds with... that he was able to follow the smell to a lower level office. The place was thick with smells; piss, blood, old sweat, rotten food, and- Vander paused outside of one door, catching a stronger whiff of fresh blood, vomit, and- he recoiled in disgust as he realized what had happened to his mate. The pungent smell of pheromones and fresh body sweat from a recent orgasm had him nearly vomiting within his shadows, and he had to fight to keep the leash he had on the shadows he controlled. They were all seething, feeding off of his emotions, hungry for violence, the terrible kind Vanders emotions promised.

Gritting his teeth against the burn of stomach acid at the back of his throat, Vander quickly slid into the room, crawling up into a shadowed corner to get a gauge on how many people were in the room. Doing a quick head count, he found six, all men. Five of them leering, and with their pants down around their thighs, their hands busily keeping themselves going as they eyed the naked dark haired man chained to the wall spread eagle, back to the room and the men.

What made the sight worse, and had what little control Vander had slipping, was the sixth man pressed up tight against the chained man, grunting and cursing, his hips moving erratically against the man before stepping back to release on his back. The back that was crisscrossed with endless red lines, bleeding sluggishly, and an odd acidic smell was leaking from him. The mans release splashed across the lines of blood, mixing and making the cuts sting more. Bruises could be seen all over his arms and throat, in the shapes of fingers or fists.

From where he was, frozen in horror, Vander could even see the deep cuts on the mans face from where it had been slammed into the stone. Fury started replacing the horror as the man moved.

Letting out a satisfied sigh, the man stepped back, red smeared over his front. He didn't hesitate to run his fingers over the chained mans back only to lick them clean.

"Damn this fairy is lucky the boss told us not to violate that precious ass. If he decides not to keep him, better to be sold off when they're nice and tight still." The man, sneered before turning back to beckon the other men forward. "Alright, just like last night, have all the fun you want, make sure it hurts, just don't stick it in his ass." With that, the man who had just satisfied himself took a step towards a still open doorway, as the others stepped forward with cruel grins.

This was like what Kaleb had endured, Vander had heard about it...had the coven not been taken down, he'd have personally hunted each member down and dealt miserable pain filled deaths to each one of them for what they had done to his brother, to Gajeel…Ryos...

This guild, these people...they were part of it all, and Ryos had been taken by them, they meant to sell him as a slave...likely to fucking Pergrande since they weren't taking his body completely, were trying to preserve him for rougher use.

Calling on his shadows, Vander dropped down, blocking the chained man, and before a single curse could be uttered, his swords flashed out, decapitating the two closest, his shadows surging in through the wide eyes of the others that sank to their knees wide eyed and gaping as void shadows eagerly started consuming their fluids, draining their blood, their very life essences from them from within. Spinning around, he barely managed to see a folder on the corner of a desk with the guilds symbol on it, splattered in blood. He snatched it up, setting it into his storage taking a moment to reach out, run his magic through the chains; magic canceling, tied into a larger alarm network, when he pulled them, the whole facility would know.

He drew a breath, huffing at the smells that assaulted him, knowing he had little time, he slid his arms around Ryos and sent his magic flying hard, cutting the link to himself as the shadows hit the manacles he broke them from wrists and ankles, sensing Ryos' magic trying to surge back into him and cursing mentally when it was slowed. Whatever they had put into him was hefty and his magic wouldn't be able to help much.

His own knowledge of poisons wasn't tremendous, he leaned toward Havati venom because the clan he'd been born to had revered the creatures and images of them adorned his body among the symbols of his clan, one even wrapped around his right bicep beneath his guild symbol.

He had resources though, there was help, he just had to get Rogue the 25 minutes back to Bayview. In his shadows, in his current state, Vanders own magic would be a danger to Ryos so he got him clear of the facility and stopped in the shadows of some sickly looking trees, hearing alarms going off in the Nightmare facility, people running. The traps he'd reversed going off to strangled screams.

They couldn't track him so he ignored it, pulling a small skin out of storage he ripped the cap up with his teeth while he positioned Ryos , trying not to linger on how his elegant face was bruised, cut, a blackened eye, likely a broken nose, cuts to his forehead indicating they had repeatedly beaten his head into that damn wall. He tried to pour some of the elixir into him but Ryos lacked the strength to hold anything in his mouth, and Vander grit his teeth.

"Ryos…Ryos come back to me….come on…I'm getting you out of here but you have to fight…I need you…you have to swallow this…I can't get you out of here safely if you don't…" He pleaded, not caring his voice broke and sounded ragged with anguish, it reflected how he felt but his feelings would not hinder his actions, he wouldn't let them, he had to function.

The elixir would ease any pain, slow toxins, and was loaded with sugars and enchantments to supplement depleted energy. Vander had used it before, half dead, dehydrated, with a collapsed lung and more broken bones than he remembered, he'd survived and escaped a Berserker gathering party in Pergrande because of this stuff, it had kept him alive for 4 days, long enough to reach safety and help.

Ryos stuttered, eyes flickering, seeing Vander his instant pained reaction made Vanders heart wrench in his chest. "Don't you run from me anymore Ryos…never again…I'm your mate…you hear me? I know that I'm yours…and I want to be. I'll happily take those fangs, but you have to drink this so I can get us out of here." He rasped and Ryos closed his eyes, throat too raw from screaming and other heinous violations to manage a response but the tears that trailed down said enough.

Vander lifted the skin to his lips and Ryos tried but his damn nerves were haywire from whatever was in him and he groaned weakly looking ashamed as the elixir dribbled from his lax lips but Vander smoothed his dirty tangled hair back, smiling at him.

"It's fine…I'll help…" He said, tipping the skin to his own lips he took some of the elixir in and sealed his lips over Ryos' split lax ones, forcing the elixir into the other mans mouth, holding him against him until he could swallow it.

Ryos stiffened as he did it, groaning weakly, a jumble of emotions hitting him from humiliation at having to be helped this way, to a sweeter thrill at feeling Vanders mouth on his, taking in the gentle insistent care of his mate as he fought to help him. He was losing ground to whatever the bald man had put into him, Rotbull had been the worst of all of them. He had spared Rogue nothing at all, had slammed him down on the desk while the other men held him, ripped away his clothes and taken him, brutally, painfully violated him and forced him to swallow some thick horrid thing that had made his stomach burn.

His own blood had chilled so much in his veins he'd been unable to fight the man, could do nothing but writhe and scream as he was violated until finally Rotbulls second in command had come up as Rotbull had groaned and finished with him.

"Hello...oh Rotty, he's lovely, such beautiful pale skin, I like my men pale and writhing." She had cooed and he'd been flipped to his back and held down watching in dazed horror as she held her hand over his groin and his blood had rushed to it unbidden.

Rotbull was cleaning himself off smirking. "Nice work Lula. Amazing isn't she? Has worked for the boss lady for years...sent to me since Quince is still recovering and we need Lulas special...talents. Have fun with him Lula, the rest of you shits sit back and watch the lady work." He took a seat himself while Lula tossed her skirt up and climbed onto the desk over Rogue.

"No.." He growled but he sounded weak even to himself.

She rubbed up and down his hardened length "Oh you can say no all you want,I'm a bloodmage Dragon boy, I'm a bloodmage, I can make your cock entertain me all I want." She grinned "Mated or not and I happen to know...you're not, at least not yet but we'll be watching won't we Rotty?" She asked and Rotbull smiled.

He liked Lula, she was powerful and smart, twisted as all hell but considering who she had worked for most of her life that wasn't all that surprising to him. Ruger had been too sick, too fucked in the head, this worked better, besides, she was wild in bed and didn't have any problems with him bending her over and fucking her whenever he got the notion.

She sank down on the dragon slayer, and Rotbull frowned, realizing her skirts were covering everything.

"Lula love, your skirts are spoiling the view…" He smiled and she untied them, tossing them at him leaving herself naked from the waist down. The men all made soft noises of approval and Rotbull smiled, yep, Lula was working out fine as his new second.

Rogue groaned, trying to get his body to stop but his own blood defied him under the Bloodmages hold and she started riding him. She wasn't kind about it, driving the air out of him and making every manner of lewd comment, taunting and teasing the men in the room until all of them sported tented pants and some just dropped their pants to their thighs and started working themselves.

Rogue had cringed, unable to move, he was pinned down,magic cancelling manacles ripping all his strength from him and his dragon wailed in disgust, revulsion and reached out for his mate. This woman could use his body but Vander owned him, heart and soul and he let images of the shadowquip fill his mind trying to drown out what the woman was doing to him.

"You like this...don't even try to deny it, you love being inside a woman…" She purred raking her nails down his chest and Rogue ignored her, not reacting, remaining still, focused on his thoughts even though they brought him pain, it was better than this.

The gathered men definitely liked it, grunting and making filthy comments that made Lula laugh and fuck Rogue harder. It barely mattered though, what had happened, he could feel himself fading even as the elixir, so sweet and pushed into his mouth by his mate, whose' lips felt so warm and right on his.

Three more times he pushed mouthfuls of the sweet fluid into Ryos, who was able to blink and he felt the mans magic returning better, heard his heartbeats rhythm get a little better, still weak…but better. Ryos was staring at him as he pulled away and snapped the cap down on the skin, sliding it back into storage he met Ryos' eyes so much pain, uncertainty in them he narrowed his own.

"Ok, time to go, I travel the deeper voids, cross the hidden shadows, its very cold but my body will be warm, you just focus on that, on me, you'll hear the shadows of the voids calling, like you do in your shadow form but they'll be louder, stronger, they'll pull at you, ignore them, they can't hurt you when you're with me. Just stay with me Ryos, you asshole…telling me I'm your mate and running off…when you recover I'll make you pay for that…lets get out of here…get to help..." He gathered Ryos to him again, keeping himself strong at a cost.

He slid into the voids and the shadows there sensed Ryos immediately but Vander kept them back, held the weakening Dragon Slayer to him tightly and flew through the voids, the deeper shadows faster than he ever had before.

It wasn't long before he arrived back in Bayview, and stepping out of his shadows in an alley behind a local inn, he slid down the wall, crumpling, even as he pulled the man in his lap closer. He quickly yanked out his lacrima, not hesitating to call for help. He could feel his control slipping, the tears running down his face, and for once he didn't care if his siblings saw him this way.

Ryos had lost consciousness again traveling in the shadows, the voids icy grip leeching his waning strength.

As soon as he saw Cristoff appear on the com, he didn't give him a chance to even say anything.

"Blue Moon Inn, Bayview City Cris, please, I need help." Vander growled, clutching Ryos closer to him, hearing the breath in his lungs stutter. He didn't know what had been done to him, but it was slowly killing him and even the elixir was barely slowing it. Cristoff didn't even bother hanging up, he just threw the lacrima at Natsu and disappeared in an instant, using his lunar shift to travel faster.

A bright flash appeared before him, and Vander looked up to find Cristoff there, horror on his face as he picked up on the smells coming from the man on his brothers lap.

"What the hell happened?!" Cristoff demanded, striding forward to kneel and reach out a hand, when he caught the smell of poison his lip curled but his hands lit and familiar silvery light flowed over the man Vander clung to. He'd seen Cristoff pull people right from the arms of death, watched him put people back together ripped open by wild beasts. There wasn't anyone he had more faith in when it came to these things than his brother.

Cristoff was still breathing harder when he finally pulled his hands back, and Vander registered the black eye, the cuts, the broken nose, most of the bruising was gone. "I can't get whatever the poison is they have in him we gotta go, we need Erik for this." He said.

"Just get us home!" Vander snarled, wrapping his arms tighter around Ryos. Feeling his brother grip his shoulders, he closed his eyes against the flash of bright light, thankful when he opened them he saw Fairy Tails guildhall. Without a word to Cristoff who didn't hesitate to start rushing inside, Vander once more stepped into shadow form and raced up to the infirmary, where he hesitated, his mind blanking on how to put Ryos down without hurting him further. He sat on one of the beds, gathering Ryos more tightly to him.

Running footsteps could be heard as his family reached the infirmary and slammed into the room, Erik, Cristoff and Wendy in the lead. Vander didn't know what to do, but as soon as he saw hands reaching for the man in his lap, he snarled, curling around him protectively.

"Vander, man, we need to help him, you need to let us help him." Bickslow said carefully.

"Fuck, his instincts to protect Ryos are kicking in hard. Bix, you've gotta control him, if you don't, we'll loose him. I'm smelling some potent poison that was laced into his blood. Fucking. blood magic, this is fucking blood poison..." Erik snapped, watching with worry as he heard the other slayers heart slowing down.

"Ah hell...he better forgive me for this later." Bix huffed, and before anyone could stop him, he lunged forward and gripping his brothers hair, yanked his head back, Vanders eyes widening in shock, allowing Bix to gain control of him.

"You guys better get to work, not sure how long I'll be able to keep this up with him right now." Bix stated, his voice shaking, and face turning green as the things his brother had just seen started flashing through his own head.

With Bickslow forcing Vanders body to release him, Erik lunged in, sinking his fangs into Ryos' throat and drawing in hard on him, almost gagging as the volatile cocktail of drugs and poisons flowed into his mouth, but the lacrima caught it, kicking in and in seconds as he sat back, making a disgusted face at the taste the antitoxins and reversals were pumping into his system.

As soon as he felt the last vestiges of what he'd taken from Ryos assaulted and purified, he pushed the "cure" into his fangs and sunk them into Ryos again, pumping it into his artery, then backing up and biting into his wrist to do the same before drawing a deep breath, flooding his lungs with it and sealing his mouth over Ryos' and holding his nose, pushed that breath into the other slayers lungs, flooding him every way he could with the antitoxins and reversals his magic had produced.

The whole process was a rush for him, processing toxins made his magic step into overdrive and flooded him with strength and energy so when he stepped back he wavered a bit, getting the familiar "buzz" off dealing with a heavy load of poisons.

"Guys…yeah…can't hold him much longer…" Bickslow was shaking with effort, his brother had received training in breaking possessions and mind control, usually Bickslow was lucky to hold him still for a few minutes, and he could only force basic movement, like getting him to release Ryos so he could be laid on the infirmary bed and Cobra could get to him like he needed to.

Still, pulling Ryos out of Vanders arms had sent the Shadowquip into a panic.

Everyone moved back a bit and Bickslow sagged, Gajeel catching him and Vander snarled, lunging to the bed and falling to his knees on the edge of it, leaning over Ryos and searching over his face, taking in the smoothed out breathing and steadily strengthening heartbeat.

"Don't know what you gave him, there was some sort of sweet shit pumping through him, but it saved him...tasted like crap though." Erik muttered the last part.

Vander looked at him. "You got it out of him? I'm not like you guys, my senses aren't as enhanced…he…feels stronger..." He said, pushing Ryos thick black hair back from his face.

"His heartbeat's good…finally." Sting said, standing nearby, looking immensely relieved, arms tightly wrapped around Xally.

Cristoff moved to the bed, and rested his hand on Ryos' forehead, Vander watching his brothers eyes take in a little light, going from their midnight blue into a slightly paler shade as he pushed strong magic through Ryos.

"Ribs, shoulder, fractured jaw and eye socket as well as a concussion along with whip lash marks across his back, some burns, throat abrasions, all cleared completely now." He moved that hand to Vanders shoulder the cool mint laced scent of his brother washing over him, soothing him, Cristoffs gift went beyond his magic, it always had. "He just needs rest now, a warm meal when he wakes up and someone to look over him."

He squeezed Vanders shoulder then, leaning down to touch his forehead to Vanders. "You saved him…he's safe..." Cristoff said softly before standing again and leaving the bed, sliding an arm around Natsu and pulling him toward the door, whispering to him everything was alright, Rogue needed Vander more than anything now.

Kaleb stood silent, like Cobra and Bickslow he knew…way too well, what Vander had just pulled Rogue out of. Better than anyone except Gajeel, he also knew just what Ryos had gone through. Kaleb, and Ryos now shared a horrific experience, both having been violated by Rotbull and his now second, Ruger. Ryos though, like Kaleb, had a mate at his side, and Kaleb knew, in spite of Vanders usual antics, he was loyal to a fault, and would see Ryos through this.

"The file little brother, then we'll leave, send up some dinner for you and let you rest with him." Kaleb said gently.

Vander barely looked up, extending his hand a file appeared in it, blood still damp on its surface. Kaleb took it gingerly then leaned down to press his lips to Vanders temple, giving Rogue a last look before leading the others out of the infirmary.

"I'll go to his place and bring him some clean clothes, he's a modest guy…would hate that everyone saw him naked." Sting said with a humorless smile.

They all nodded, Sting and Xally leaving on their errand while Levy hurried to place the order for some dinner for Vander, and Gajeel got a still droopy Bickslow into the masters office, following Kaleb, Cobra and Laxus.

Makarov took the file and with Laxus standing behind him on his right and Kaleb on his left, they started going through the file, faces getting steadily paler.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Vander didn't eat much of what Levy brought up, barely managing a thin smile for Sting when he came and delivered a pile of clean clothes for Ryos.

He wanted to clean him up, knew he wouldn't want the sticky revolting things that were currently still on his skin on him if he had the choice. When Cristoff came up to check on him he looked imploringly at his brother.

"They…they came on him, were dry humping him because they weren't allowed to mess up the 'merchandise' Cris…I killed all of them…I wish I'd had time to make them suffer first, maybe I could have even hunted down that Rotbull asshole but I knew he was slipping, getting weaker and now…can I…is there some way to clean him up? He was so…humiliated and miserable I saw, he won't want to be smelling it…" He said and Cristoff smiled "Pick him up and follow me, we can clean him up, he's out of the woods Vander…I promise…he just needs to rest, but while he's doing that, we can get him cleaned up."

They took Ryos to the bath and Cristoff helped keep him steady while Vander cleaned every inch of him, so grateful of his brothers calm understanding he kept looking at him, wishing he knew a way to relate just what his help meant, even though he seemed to already know.

Once cleaned and free of the last physical traces of his captivity, Vander dressed him and carried him back up, placing him in a clean bed.

He smiled faintly when he watched Cristoff strip the bed Ryos had been in and hand the sheets to Natsu. "Don't even leave ashes love." He said and Natsu grinned, heading outside to rid the world of the very last thing that carried that hideous scent on it.

Once that was done his brother ruffled his hair like he'd done since they were small. Cristoff may only be a year older than him, but had always been worlds more mature, something brought about by healing according to Nurem, who never got impatient with Vanders endless obnoxious questions even though he was not hers.

"You should eat more." Cristoff commented, glancing at the tray, Vander shrugged, scooting the chair closer the bed.

"Just get into the bed with him Vander…honestly, the closer you are the better for his sake, his dragon is going to still be after you desperately since you're not mated yet, it might help pull him back to consciousness, like a carrot on a stick." He smirked.

Vander gave him a dark look but the edges of his lips twitched. "I am not a carrot on a stick." He sighed, not sure he was up to being teased.

"Better than, for him, just quit being a brat and get into the bed Vander, I'm not kidding around, having you close will help him." Cristoff insisted.

"Hey Cris…are we staying here tonight or…?" Natsu was at the door, leaning on the frame, when Cristoffs eyes lifted to his the blush haired man licked his lips, there really wasn't a lot of subtlety built into Natsu.

Cristoff smirked. "We're going back to our house to our nice big bed Natsu." Cristoff replied.

Natsus eyes narrowed. "I kinda miss my hammock." He said.

Cristoff shrugged. " I refuse to fuck you in a hammock." Cristoff said with a growl.

Natsu grinned. "Could be fun though…" he said in a cheeky voice.

Cristoff vanished and reappeared in the blink of an eye, thickly muscled arms caging the smaller man against the door frame, body pressing into his, sharp fangs scraping over the mark on Natus neck ripping a moan out of him.

"What'll be fun is me making sure you lose your voice tonight…as long as you're in our room waiting for me when I get there…and remember, I can teleport there so you should get moving…"

Natsus eyes flew wide and he shot a glance over at Vander who was watching the whole scene with an amused look on his face. "Night Vander! Hope Rogue wakes up soon! Gotta go!" And the Fire Slayer ducked out from under his mates arms and rushed from the guild.

Cristoff turned back toward Vander.

"You have so much patience." Vander shook his head and Cristoff smiled.

"And that little shit tests it every damn day too. I swear I'm going to get him to think, be considerate of others, at least more than he is now." Cristoff said firmly.

Vander smiled "Good luck with that."

Cristoff growled at him but there was no malice in it. He nodded toward Ryos giving Vander an impatient look then.

"Get your ass on the bed Van, I have a hot pink little mate to go fuck and I'd love to reach the house before he does so I can mess with him before I do." Cristoff snapped.

Vander snorted but stood, the long sleeved shirt he'd been wearing fading as he shifted his shadows and put himself in a black tank and kicked off his boots before carefully sliding into the narrow bed beside Ryos. Once he'd settled he glanced back and saw Cristoff had gone. Letting a long breath go he pressed in against Ryos' sleeping form, wrapping himself around him before all of the stress and worry eased and sleep took him.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Ryos stirred slowly, nightmares were hovering, they often did, a side effect common with his magic was the tendency of the shadows to steal into dreams. He was good at keeping them back but pain, stress…those things could open him up to let the shadows push nightmares in.

They were there but what was stirring him was his dragon, inside of him it was pushing steadily, clawing at him to move, to take, claim, rut. He resisted it, he was so tired, so very exhausted and worn down.

He tried to withdraw back into the dreamless black he'd been in but it wouldn't let him.

 _He's mine! Take him…claim him_!

He was confused, no, it was wrong…he'd run, left Vander standing there, that shocked look on his handsome face, eyes like wine stunned so the heat and mischief in them had fled them.

His dragon had tormented him for days after he'd watched him sing, watched that tall muscular body move against that guitar, seen the women rushing in, that look on Cana and then Vanders answering look of interest in her, walking down the hall behind the stage following the scent of smoky wine and cherries, finding Cana wrapped around that tall gorgeous body, leather jerkin on the floor, the spread of the muscled back, the vivid black shield framed in red on the back of his right shoulder.

Cana all over him reeking of arousal, grinding her body against Vanders while Vander had let her, Mira there, hands shoved into his thick black hair, lips sealed on Vanders, kissing him while Canas hands were all over his bare chest. The scene had been more than he could take, he'd gasped in horror and Vander had wrenched free of Mira and for a brief moment their eyes had met before Rogue had fled… he'd left and hidden in his apartment, taking Frosh over to Stings and begging a confused Xally to keep his beloved friend for a few days because he needed to be alone.

Alone, something he seemed destined to remain too. Vander was a fun-loving, successful mage in a huge Boscan guild, Xally had told him Vander earned a tremendous amount of money working for the Boscan government known as the Steel Council. He was, of all of her siblings, the busiest and led a thrilling life traveling all over Earthland. He held the highly revered, even feared designation as a Blood Hunter for Bosco.

He'd spent the first day trying to distract himself with research into Shadowquips, reasoning that as a shadow mage, learning about the specialists in his field of magic was just wise, he could potentially discover spells and new avenues to enhance his own abilities.

Since he was going to wait out Vanders departure, he'd immerse himself in a favored pass time. He couldn't find enough information though. All he found was that Shadowquips had appeared in Bosco and were always Boscan, a specific clan on the Grass Sea carried the genetics that produced them and Shadowquips travelled the deep shadows, could pass through the voids, use the terrifying shadows from within them because their souls were special, the shadows could not take them, couldn't harm them, and bent to their will.

Only 1 in every 50 or so Shadowquips born grew to adulthood though, they were very rare, and if they mastered their magic, could equip shadows, use them as weapons, armor, clothing, even to alter their appearance, could cloak others, objects in them and bring shadows of the void into the living world to do their bidding. One reference about them called Shadowquips, "The only mortals respected by the voids."

Shadowquips had come about around the same time as another rare type of born magic user, the Archangel mages. They were apparently the opposite of the Shadowquips, using holy light and fire, they could bring forth heavenly beings to fight with them, use holy light as a weapon, banish evil beings to Hell and had wings that were thought indestructible. Referred to as mortal seraphim, they were morning and evening stars, their magic fed most in either the sun of morning or setting evening with the dark evening stars being specialized in fighting at night. They were specialized Celestial mages as opposed to the Shadowquips being specialized shadow mages.

It was all fascinating, but too little was known about both to give him descriptions of their magic, What he could find in his own books in his apartment was limited and he didn't want to risk going out and…running into Vander.

So he had remained in his apartment, his dragon relentlessly clawing at him, roaring, begging, screaming for him to go, to find their mate, to get those long fingered hands onto them, tangled in his hair, kiss that smirking mouth, tear away his clothes and see what those tattoos peeking out around the edges looked like in their entirety.

He found the winged serpent Vander sported around his right bicep. A "Havati" native to Bosco they were dragonkin, lesser dragons like wyverns. Cobra had had one once, Cubellios. Havati venom was the most poisonous deadly venom known to Earthland, still no known cure for it existed. They were intelligent and could mature to pretty massive sizes, peaceful, though they were hunters, they weren't known to attack people, preferring unintelligent prey.

The same clan in Bosco known for producing Shadowquips had revered them and were mentioned in the reference to the serpents as the only humans to live alongside them on one of the floating islands of Boscos Grass Sea where the Havati would go to lay their eggs.

He'd been steadily more and more miserable, if he drifted off to sleep his dreams were pure sex, with him tangled in Vanders arms, rutting like animals or Vander slowly, torturously pleasuring him, singing to him.

That voice haunted him "wont you cuuuummm" he'd groan, painfully hard, unable to get any form of relief no matter what he tried.

Then he'd been there, dear Gods, Vander had appeared in his apartment, getting past protections and silent alarms nobody had ever been able to bypass, standing there smirking at him in those tight black jeans a snug shirt. His voice, so smooth, with its faint lilting accent telling him "I know I made it clear that I want you…"

He'd been relentless, pursuing Rogue across his bedroom, pinning him against the wall, the intoxicating scent of him, smoky spices and cherries…Ryos loved cherries…

He'd even nuzzled into him, Gods how could he know just how to do that so a dragon went insane, his had, Vanders nose and cheek gliding along his, lips skimming his ear, Ryos' dragon had gone out of its mind and he'd panicked.

There was no way he could let Vander press his flirting, his dragon just wouldn't allow his body to create any sort of resistance to the smiling shadowquip. Had he been anything but his mate Rogue would have long since had him on the ground tearing his clothes off, but this was his mate, if he allowed any more of this he'd lose his control and give Vander a whole hell of a lot more than just a good fuck.

So he'd fled, did all he could think to do, the anguish of it had reverberated through his entire being, his dragon shrieking in pain as he'd done it, tearing himself from the sweet intoxicating attentions of his mate and hurling himself to the other side of the room, shouting out his confessions when Vander had wanted to know why he was denying him.

The look of stunned disbelief on that handsome face, he didn't even wait to see the rejection he knew would have to come next, no, he'd spared himself that. At least by running before Vander could actually say he couldn't be his mate, he had to return to his homeland the following day, at least by not letting the rejection get spoken Ryos spared himself having to hear it reverberate through his mind and torment him for the rest of his life.

He'd rushed to the guild, ripped down a job flier he guessed might keep him away in a mostly untraveled area for a few days, waited until he was certain Vander had given up and left his apartment, packed a quick bag and been on the first train to Hargeon.

It was all he could do, beating the ever loving fuck out of bandits would help a little, he'd get to track them down, hunt them, give his screaming miserable dragon something it usually enjoyed.

But when he'd left Bayview, started up the trail the guard captain had indicated he'd scented something was off but he was too distracted, still intermittently biting back bitter tears, he'd driven his fist into the first tree along the trail until he'd toppled it in furious frustration, but then runes had flared to life, the very ground had rolled up and engulfed his legs, caught his hands and pinned his arms to his sides.

When he'd struggled, tried to use his magic someone had laughed and his ruby eyes had shot to a heavy set powerfully built bald man in grey pants and combat boots, a thick bush of a moustache on his upper lip, hard dark eyes leering at him.

"Struggle all you want little Fairy, Cutas Earth Magic works really well and you'd never get out of that rune trap even if you got out of his grip." He'd said smugly.

Rogue had tried to speak then but found his voice cut off, eyes widening with alarm he'd watched as the man in front of him reached out and touched his neck just below his jaw and he'd felt it, magic, dark, slimy…horrible magic slid right into his veins and he realized this man was a blood mage.

"That's right, you know what I am don't you? You're one of those "Twin dragons" used to be at the top of Sabertooth then up and joined the Fairies." The mans eyes were moving over him and Rogue was more alarmed, feeling his senses dulling, pain starting to course through dull at first then steadily increasing.

"I have you on my shopping list…holy fuck you've got a pretty face even with that scar…nice hips too…tight ass i'd be willing to bet…" He leered, chuckling and the men that had emerged from the trees laughed darkly with him.

"I'll find out how tight that ass is alright…" He said, running a hand down Rogues backside as he circled him.

Enraged Rogue had struggled and the runes had flared, intense pain flooding through his whole being and his soul screamed out even as his voice couldn't. Vander coming to his mind, the image of him smirking against his bedroom door, he latched onto it, the only oasis in a sea of pain.

The poisons in his veins caught the magic in the runes and intensified the agony, muddling his mind, making the ability to think start to leave him and he clung to Vanders image, his dragon soul winding around it desperately, screaming for his mate.

"Not killing you yet little fairy, just gonna rip some of the fight out of you here so we can get you back. I'll let the boys break you further, let my magic break down whatever resistance you've got left, then I'll be back to try out that tight ass there myself, see if you're one I might keep for myself…" He'd said then he'd raised his voice. "Fucking Fairy scum…get him in the manacles, he's one of the ones we want, reset the traps, when he doesn't come back or report in…we'll be getting more…fuck…he's almost pretty…ha…chain him in the office…facing the wall…" He laughed darkly and the others could be heard joining in his dark amusement.

More pain had flooded him and he'd lost consciousness.

Everything after that was a haze, the poisons coursing through him had fogged his mind and he'd been placed in magic canceling manacles so his magic was out of reach, his senses were dulled and all he knew was pain. He remembered being slammed over the desk, the bald man fucking him brutally, the woman violating him too before they chained him to the wall, naked for the others to have their fun with, instructions given to break him down but not use his ass anymore, Rotbull might want it again if he decided not to sell him.

They waited until he was coherent before they started violating him, they bickered, argued angrily about being unable to do it as thoroughly as they wanted to.

"You stick your dick in his ass and Rotbull will pull it through your body and out your fucking mouth." One had warned another.

"Shit…just wanna pound a Dragon Slayer, did you see him in the games? Fuck…" The man gripping his hips, rubbing himself between Rogues legs was grunting and Rogue wanted death.

His mate was probably on an airship heading back to his life full of responsibilities, taking Rogues will to live with him, his dragon writhed in anguish, screaming out for him while Rogues body begged for escape, an end. Pain still filled his veins. every beat of his heart was horrible, every draw of breath burned, the whip almost was a relief, providing momentary lapses in the supremacy of the blood poison throughout his body.

When his voice wavered, his screams left him and there was no holding them back, like his body sought a way to release some of the agony out from his lungs by straining his throat until it was raw.

The men tried to use his mouth, but his sharp fangs couldn't be avoided since the first man had not left the gag behind, even when they broke his jaw, so he was hung back on the wall again.

It got worse and worse, his brain couldn't piece things together well past the point his jaw was broken, adding to a list of several bones he knew they'd broken already.

He hated his own strength, praying it would end soon, death would be best for him anyway, his mate would live, they hadn't so much as kissed, had barely touched, the bond was just a frail little thread on his mates end he was sure. Vander would live on and it gave Rogue a sad comfort knowing that. A part of him would live on in Vander, though his mate would probably never know.

The men didn't seem aware they had gone too far, caused too much damage, and Rotbull had gotten pulled away to other business and wasn't getting to him as quickly as he'd wanted to, leaving the poisons working too long. Rogue knew he was dying, life was slipping away.

He let his mind go, his dragon flooding him with fantasies and he clung to them, like he'd clung to the image of Vander in his apartment to that point. How would life had been if Vander hadn't been so firmly committed to life in his homeland?

The wonderful promises of pleasure the shadowquip had lavished on him while he'd been on that stage, his voice, his magic caressing Rogues body and soul. He could hear him, focus on the memories of that night, when those wine colored eyes had been locked with his, that tall body moving against the guitar he played.

He'd smelled and felt so incredibly good as he'd nuzzled into Rogues neck, he had to have learned how to do that from his Dragon Slayer siblings because nobody had ever done it to Rogue before, he'd had sex with women and men both, hell Minerva had been into his bed a couple of times and she was very big on touch.

He'd been with Rufus too, the man had studied slayers and wanted so badly to taste Rogue, he'd read Dragons were big into certain ways of stroking their bodies against each other, and what he'd done had been enjoyable, but Vander, in just moments, had blown everything Rogue had experienced before away.

Gods they'd been fully clothed, had barely touched, and he would firmly insist what little he'd had of Vander was better than all of his former experiences combined.

He had heard him, smelled him, had reached a point where he'd opened his eyes and Vander had been holding him, looking desperately worried, said something about him needing to fight, he said what Rogue knew was his deepest desires being drug out by a dying body seeking comfort.

"I'm your mate, you hear me? I know I'm yours…I want to be." Vander had said and Rogue had faded in and out on waves of his dragon reaching for that desperately, then his mates mouth was on his, sweetness filling his own mouth pushed into him by the man holding him, keeping his mouth sealed over Rogues until he swallowed and somehow the agony had slowed faintly and Rogue had known he was probably dying now, to be taken from his body by these wonderful images and words his pain addled brain gifting him with sweet delusions to ease his death.

But…he wasn't dead. His dragon was becoming steadily more aggravated within him, demands upon demands hitting him to move, to take, to claim his mate.

But Vander was gone, halfway home if not all the way home by now and he was dying…yet there was no pain beyond what his dragon was layering on him.

He drew a breath and the smoky spiced cherry scent washed over him that was so unique to the shadowquip he wanted, a slight shift, testing his body, expecting pain to flood him as soon as he did produced nothing but the sensation that he was warm, in a soft bed, and not alone.

His eyes flew open, hazy at first but when they focused his breath caught in his lungs at the sight before him.

He was laying in the Fairy Tail infirmary and curled against him, resting fully pressed into him, was Vander.

The shadowquip was breathing, slow and steady, and Rogue took quick amazed stock of everything, the arms around him, holding him in firmly against Vanders body, their legs tangled, he was laying in a bed with his mate wrapped around him. He wasn't dead or in any pain, and he was in Vanders arms.

His dragon was insanely happy with this fact, and driving him, slamming against all of his mental barriers demanding him to press Vander back against the bed and take him, right that moment.

But Rogues mind wasn't so addled he wasn't able to frown in confusion. Why was Vander here? He should have left by now, and he himself should, honestly, be dead.

Gods Vanders lips…Rogues mind was trying to make sense of things but his dragon just didn't care, because Vanders lips were inches away, lax and soft in sleep.

Shifting slightly he could get one of his hands, which had been nicely pressed against Vanders chest, taking in the steady beat of his heart, up to those lips. He just wanted to touch them, see if they were as soft as they looked like they were.

Gliding the pad of his fingertip over Vanders lower lip he smiled faintly, almost moaned at how warm and soft it was. In a moment those lips moved, pressing a kiss to the pad of his finger and sending a jolt through him that would have sent him tumbling off the bed had Vanders arms not tightened firmly around him to prevent him from moving. Those lips slanted over his possessively then and Rogue whimpered, unable to keep from pressing into that kiss, drinking in every bit of it.

The faint taste of cherries, the wonderful feel of his body, his arms, his mouth, oh dear Gods Vanders mouth. Lips gliding on his tempting them apart, hot tongue gliding in to run along his lips then tangle with his as Vander angled himself so he was beneath Rogue, letting him take the dominant position, knowing it would stir Rogues dragon into a frenzy and wanting to, He was less likely to try and run again.

Rogues whole being practically sang in happiness, this was the contact he wanted, needed, this was his mate, he was kissing his mate, pressing his hips forward into his mates, feeling his own straining arousal pressing into Vanders, their thin clothing not enough of a barrier to mask the heat and hardness.

He jerked back then, alarmed by just how much, how desperately he needed more, he needed it all. Vanders arms remained tight around him, held him firmly in place.

"Not this time…no fucking way you're moving until we talk." Vander growled, breathing just as hard as Rogue was and Rogue was suddenly under those wine colored eyes, facing a look that seemed to swirl with a variety of emotions, from worry to frustration to pure anger.

Rogue could do little more than meet his gaze, trapped in a firm grip his body really didn't want out of.

"How do you feel?" Vander asked then, a hand leaving Rogues back to push through his hair and get it away from his eyes. Then he smirked a little "Aside from the obvious I mean…" He added, nudging his hips against Rogues as if he needed reminding of their all too brief kiss.

"Confused…you shouldn't be here…and…I was…dying." He replied, his voice a cracking rasp that made him wince.

Vander shifted then stilled, looking at him suspiciously. "I'm going to get you some water, if your ass tries to leave this room, I'm kicking it…hear me?" he demanded. Rogue narrowed his eyes but nodded.

His dragon wasn't the least bit happy about Vander untangling himself from him either, and Rogue bit back a growl, then a moan when Vander, as he slid from the bed, before leaving from beneath the blankets, slid his hand down over Rogues ass and squeezed it, giving him a wicked look before getting to his feet and leaving the room.

It was only a few minutes at best, when Vander returned, Cristoff on his heels with Sting, Xally, Erik and Kaleb. Rogue recoiled slightly, a growl rumbling through him unbidden.

"Fuck I love that sound." Vander chuckled, handing Rogue a mug filled with something steaming that smelled strongly of a variety of herbs and Rogue blushed, he fucking blushed, could have kicked himself for it too especially when he saw Stings knowing smile. Averting his gaze, Rogue purposely focused on Sting instead of Vander settling onto the bed next to him once more, hard thigh pressing against his.

"Good to see you awake." Sting said as Rogue sipped at what was, he found with a pleased widening of his eyes, a delicious spicy tea sweetened with…what was that?

At his look Xally was bending close to him running her cool hands over his forehead and he felt her magic flowing into him, sighed in spite of himself.

"Little dehydrated…but I'll fix that, and the tea will help…" at his look she smiled "It is Boscan seagrass tea sweetened with lightvine cane syrup, courtesy of Vanders insatiable sweet tooth that always has to have exotic things." She told him, turning and patting her brother on the cheek before returning to Sting.

He met Vanders eyes again, felt his dragon slam against his barriers again too. Sitting there, in snug black pants, socks and a skin tight black tank top he was seeing more of the mans naturally tan skin, toned and developed muscle tightening beneath it as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"Why did you run?" Vander demanded and Rogue winced, he wasn't ready for this.

"Why are you still here?" He demanded back.

"Because I'm your mate you idiot, I'm not going anywhere after that bomb you dropped on me, I just broke you out of Nightmares facility in Darkwater and the first thing you ask is why I'm still here? You can't be fucking serious with that." Vander snapped.

Kaleb cleared his throat and Vander glared at him but deflated.

"Why Ryos? What's with the whole "you can't have me" thing?" Vander asked in a sigh.

It was the big question nobody knew the answer for, even Vander himself wasn't sure why a Dragon Slayer would turn away after finding their mate. After being raised the way he was, he knew it wasn't something that could be turned away from.

"You have to go back home, you have important work, your magic is beyond rare, you may be the only shadowquip alive right now, I can't ask you to give up all you've worked for, all you've accomplished, tie you down to me, it would be wrong." Ryos replied, honestly feeling a shiver run through him when Vander used his name.

Vanders eyes widened a moment then he smiled shaking his head.

"Idiot." He breathed and Rogue glared at him, temper rising in a rush.

"I'm not an idiot! I took the damn time to research what you are, I realize how valuable your abilities are! You travel extensively, spend time hidden, you can't have a mate tying you down, anchoring you. So I left, I figured if I distanced myself, you could go and the sliver of a bond trying to form would sever and let you live happily, go back to your life!" Rogue growled.

How dare he insult his intelligence! Did he think he LIKED the idea? Of course he didn't! He wanted Vander so bad he was keeping his face close to the mug so the spicy scent of the tea could prevent Vanders from reaching him, clouding his thoughts more. His chest was tight, aching, his body in actual pain needing to feel Vanders against it again.

And his dragon? Well that was just beyond help.

"What about you, your life? What about your happiness Ryos?" Vander asked, and though he didn't move, didn't move closer it felt like he did, his gaze pulling at Ryos strongly, fierce and strong.

"You knew…you knew you'd slowly die…" Vanders eyes widened, not sure how he'd realized that, but it came to him somehow as Rogue had stared defiantly back at him.

"Well…that's not going to happen, because I'm not leaving…Kaleb, did Dad finish sending out the letters?" He demanded not taking his eyes off of Rogue.

"He did." Kaleb replied, smiling faintly.

Vander nodded and turned holding out his right arm, the emblem for White Sea stood out proud on his right shoulder. Eyes locked on Rogues he reached up and pushed his magic into his skin, willing the emblem away and as his hand passed over his skin the Guild Emblem for White Sea, the guild he had been in his entire life, was gone.

Rogues eyes widened as Makarov walked into the room, he'd been in the doorway, summoned silently by Kaleb.

"I signed the transfer with Kaleb this morning." Makarov said.

Vander turned yanking the black tank top off over his head and kneeling before Makarov, touching his left pectoral to indicate where he wanted his guild mark, eyes never leaving Rogues who was now speechless, breathing a little harder, eyes sliding over the expanse of tanned skin over hard muscle, the intricate tattoos that curved from his right shoulder down over the right side of his chest disappearing into the waistline of his black pants.

"Black." Vander said softly and Makarov nodded, lifting the guild stamp to Vanders smooth skin and pressing it into place, he didn't wince as it set in and Makarov pulled the stamp back, leaving a black Fairy Tail emblem dark and bold in Vanders skin.

Like a mating mark would be…once it was set, and they had strengthened their bonds with intimacy enough times. Rogue drew a shaking breath.

"You…you want to be my mate…I mean…" He managed weakly. Vander smirked and slid to the bed putting both hands down on either side of Rogues legs where he sat on the edge of the infirmary bed, his face close enough all Ryos could see were pools of wine.

"I want to be your mate Ryos…I want you…pretty sure I've already made that clear before this." He whispered harshly. Lunging in to nip at Ryos' lips wickedly, playful even in a serious moment. As his lips slanted over Ryos' and a whimpering moan escaped the Dragon Slayer Makarov rolled his eyes.

Makarov cleared his throat. "Not in the guild…we still haven't finished repairs from Natsu and Cristoff." He snapped, giving a pointed look at the tall raven haired dragon slayer who pressed his lips together and looked at the floor.

Vanders eyes remained locked with Rogues. "But we need to MATE." Vander rumbled with that wicked smirk of his.

"He needs to eat, regain his strength," Xally said kicking her brothers calf lightly with a smile.

"You will also need to go to his apartment and set up the wards and protections that will keep everyone else safe for the process, everyone will help just like we've done for the others." Kaleb added.

Vander sighed, his eyes burning into Ryos' who still couldn't manage to breathe right with Vander so close. The Shadowquip smirked at him again, making his whole body shudder, that brought a smug look into the dark eyes.

"I'm getting rid of that little bed of yours too…it won't hold up." He whispered and Rogue swallowed hard as Vander pushed off the bed, with a flick of his fingers a black jerkin formed over his skin.

Rogue almost whimpered when his eyes were cut off from drinking in his mates naked torso. Vander didn't miss that either…damn him.

Vander winked at him, shrugging his shoulders to settle the new clothing on him right, Rogue vaguely wondering if all of his clothes could just be dismissed so easily, watching boots form over his calves and feet as he strode for the door he was betting they could be.

It was a good thing the blankets had pooled in his lap…

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It had been a number of hours, dusk was creeping ever closer, and after having done it a few times already, Levy and Freed were becoming quick at placing protection runes on areas where a mating would take place.

This time it was Rogues apartment. Normally they would've just stuck to the room, but when they considered the magic involved for the dragon slayer and his mate, they agreed expanding the protection to cover the entire apartment would be a good idea.

After the nail biting, waiting that had happened for Vander to get back from Dark Water, only to immediately go to the infirmary, they knew that once Rogue was recovered, the mating was likely to happen shortly after. And how right they were.

Because the other slayers knew what was coming, they had purposely made sure the two shadow mages stayed in the infirmary for the night, in separate rooms, and locked in, then kept in the guild, surrounded by the others, keeping them at opposite ends of the table from each other. It wasn't much, but they needed to wait long enough, just long enough for the runes to be set. As dusk crept ever closer, the other slayers made sure that Vander and Rogue ate, knowing that if they were lucky, they wouldn't be seen till the next night at the earliest, and would need the energy.

Vander was almost insufferable, in his element as a seductive tease he had Rogue growling and snarling to the point all the other slayers were on edge. He'd made a point of ordering foods he could play with too, eating with his eyes locked on Rogue, even Kalebs sharp kick to his brothers shin only served to slow Vanders teasing a little.

Rogue was beside himself, his dragon in chaos inside of him, Vanders lips and tongue played over what he ate, his eyes promising he could do far better with Rogues body. Knowing Vander wanted him, so much he was teasing him, taunting him, whispering promises even caressing his body beneath his clothes with his shadows until Cobra smacked him upside the head and demanded he stop or he'd hold Vander down himself so Rogue could fuck him on the table in front of the whole guild.

Vander had smirked. "Like I'd mind that…" He'd purred managing to shock Cobra who knew in an instant Vander meant it. Kaleb had rolled his eyes and pulled his mate back to him, silently assuring him it was pointless to try and discipline Vander at this point.

Vanders eyes had only narrowed on Rogues though, the fact that threat didn't even make his mate-to-be falter sent waves of fire through Rogues veins. To be wanted by a man like this, to know he was claiming him soon, taking this playful, wicked, sensual being as his mate, that all of what Vander hinted at, all the pleasure he promised would be his had Rogue nearly out of his mind waiting.

As dusk crept closer, the tension began to build between the two shadow mages, sitting on opposite ends of the table, and the others could be heard shifting uncomfortably. The shadows in the hall began to lengthen, deepen, darken, and when the last ray of sunlight sunk below the horizon, two sets of red eyes met, heated, clashed; between one blink and another, the two mages were gone.

Collapsing with groans of relief, the other mates, and even the last single slayer laid their heads on the table with weary chuckles.

"Is that all of us? Cause I don't think I can handle going through this again." Bix asked, his voice muffled against the table.

Lifting his head, Gajeel looked around at those gathered, mentally ticking off each slayer when his eyes fell on the blue haired slayer, little Wendy, who was flushing a bright red.

"Nope, we've got one slayer left. Wendy. And she's been going through mating season for a couple of years now." Kaleb answered, lifting his own head after hearing Gajeels line of thought.

"But the only one of us left, who is here, is Farron, and he's back home. I don't think that's going to happen." Bix denied fervently, almost pleading.

"If it does, you know there's no changing it." Gajeel stated with a huff, crossing his arms.

"I know I know...fine, Gajeel, babe, if they meet, and that happens, I'm claiming the right to use your iron coated shoulder to pound my head against, since I can't seem to get away from seeing my siblings and each slayer hooking up." Bix huffed, lightly banging his head on the table.

"Tch, whatever." Gajeel scoffed, lips twitching at the feeling that he was going to be complying with that right soon enough.

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Through Magnolia, two dark shadows raced each other, jumping from corners of buildings, to shadowed balconies, and racing up and across the sides and roofs of houses. One was always a little more in the lead, but then would over come the other, a type of teasing dance to what they knew would be happening soon.

Shortly after disappearing from their family without a word, Vander and Rogue slid into the prepared apartment, triggering the runes that wouldn't allow them to leave the area for a minimum of twelve hours. But they didn't care. As soon as they knew they were in the clear, Vander stepped from his shadows, his eyes alight with lust and desire, tracking the movement of the shadow that was circling him. Smirking slightly, he rolled his shoulders and immediately his black shirt drifted away, leaving him in pants tucked into calf high boots only, his tattoos and new fairy tail guild mark standing out starkly against his deep tan.

He took a moment to let his eyes close as he took a deep breath, skin rolling with goosebumps as he felt the sudden shadowy touch that drifted across his shoulders and down his back before trailing back up to shift through his hair. He could smell him again, so close, smoke and sugared pears, so close. He felt his body jerk in a hard twitch when the feeling of sharp teeth scraped along his skin, specifically along the spot under his left ear. A moan escaped him, unbidden, echoing through the room. He had teased and played, but the truth was he was in desperate need of Rogue now, wanted him so bad it physically hurt.

Spinning around, he narrowed his eyes when he didn't see Rogue behind him. Shifting his gaze around the room, his lips curled wickedly as he saw every shadow in the darkened room moving on its own.

"Oh love, be careful playing with shadows, I can do just as much, if not more." Vander purred, beginning to pull on his magic when he felt another shadow wrap around him tightly. "Hmmm bondage eh? That could be fun too. You know….there's really not much I won't do…I would have fucked you on the table in the guild hall." He smirked.

Rogue felt thrills pulse through him at Vanders teasing but kept his distance.

"Last chance Vander." The shadow whispered in his ear, sending a shiver all down his spine. "You can walk away right now, without looking back, with no repercussions from me or anyone else."

Narrowing his eyes again, Vander grit his teeth, letting his gaze focus on the bedroom door. "And if I don't?" He had to swallow hard against the snarl and the rush of pleasure that shot through him when he felt a mouth with sharp teeth clamp down on his shoulder, followed by nails lightly dragging over his torso.

"Then you submit to me. One of the few times it will be needed. If you want this, completely, totally, if you accept that you are my mate, then you will do what is needed until I set the mark, and….submit to me." This time the shadow slithered away, melding back into the rest of the shadows in the room, Rogues voice echoing around the room.

Taking another deep breath, Vander fought against the need to resist the demand to submit, knowing that what Rogue had said was the truth. He remembered that from what he had learned with the slayers and Nurem. When a slayer took a mate, like a dragon, the non-slayer would have to submit for the mark to be properly set. If it was two slayers, it was a little bit different, but for them, it had to be this way.

Releasing his breath, and the tension holding him, he gave a confident smirk, and in one smooth move, purposely undid the button of his pants.

The snarl that sounded in his ears moments before shadows slammed into him, shoving him back onto the couch of the living room, had Vander moaning out loud. The feel of strong, sure hands gripping his hips as lips, teeth, and tongue started nipping harshly into his skin, leaving small bruises to bloom like shadows against his skin.

Rogue took every taste he'd been wanting sitting in that guild hall, scraping his teeth over the sooth skin, running his tongue over the serpent on Vanders chest, breathing in the heady scent on his mates arousal, the smoke and cherry that was distinctly Vander, the taste of him filling all of Rogues senses and sending his dragon into bliss and powerful need at the same time.

Vander lifted his hands to grip raven hair, wanting to press closer, only to snarl in response as his hands were caught and pinned above his head in one strong hand. The mouth that was suddenly slanted against his, with a silken tongue stealing inside to dance with his, tasted sweet, drew him in, made him writhe, Vander found himself straining painfully against the restricting fabric of his pants. It was there, he could feel it, the bond forming, building, enhancing each sensation that was dancing along his skin, and sparking in his blood. He could only gasp in a breath when Rogue broke away to nip sharply at the line of his jaw and down over his shoulder.

"Ryos...please...gods I want to touch you..." Vander moaned, arching his back, trying to press closer, anything to ease the pressure building in his cock. "No, keep your hands where I put them...for now." Rogue responded huskily.

Ripping himself away from Vander with a growl, Rogue stood, gripping his robes and tearing them away. Panting, gripping the arm of the couch behind his head, Vander watched as inch after inch of pale porcelain skin was exposed and with barely a thought, willed his remaining clothing away, exposing himself fully to his soon to be mate. He could feel his breath coming faster, his heart racing as he watched in fascination, black scales beginning to line Rogues cheeks, arms, and chest, hair beginning to spike in the magical pressure pumping off of him.

"Tell me." Rogue growled, tearing away the last of his clothes, now as exposed as Vander, standing over him to assert his position as a dragon slayer.

"W-what?" Vander panted, feeling his body humming in response to the magical pressure building in the room.

"Tell me that you want me, that you want to be my mate." Rogue stated, taking one step closer. Ruby eyes blazing hungrily down on him and Vander clenched his teeth willing his hands to stay over his head instead of reaching for the slender man above him.

"Fuck I want you...so bad it hurts...please...take me...mark me...claim me as yours." Vander breathed, writhing against the couch in desperate need. In the next second Ryos was spread out on top of him, pinning him, his own rigid erection rubbing enticingly against Vanders, making his head fall back with a lewd groan as Rogue settled between his legs.

"This won't be easy, or gentle, a slayer mating never is." Rogue warned, his red eyes flashing as he stared at his mate who looked about ready to come undone.

"I like it rough, and I'm not easy to break." Vander panted, the smirk on his face falling as he felt fingers begin to carefully touch and prod at his entrance as Rogue sat back on his knees, his other hand reaching out to curl around the rigid length in front of him. He couldn't stop from licking his lips as he slid his eyes slowly down Vanders body, stretched on the couch with his hands above his head. He was like a piece of art, flawless, tattoos dark against the tanned skin, he trailed his fingers over them, the swirling symbols and words written in runes he wondered if Freed would even be able to read. The Havati serpents curled elegantly through the symbols and runes one at his right hip in particular seemed almost coiled to strike.

His eyes fell on the Fairy Tail symbol and he smiled faintly, eyes back on his mate as a whole enjoying seeing Vanders' body arch and twitch against him. Hips were lifted against his insistently, and as his hands began to lower from the arm of the couch, Rogue growled loudly, drawing a loud moan from Vander even as he froze.

"Don't move your hands!" Rogue ordered, gnashing his teeth as he felt them start to lengthen. Twinning a few of his shadows around his fingers, he started to slowly push one digit, then two into Vander, carefully stretching him, so he wouldn't cause as much damage. Hearing a long drawn out moan, Rogue swallowed hard and looked up to find that Vanders head was rolling, burgundy eyes darkened to nearly black as he stared at Rogue with desire and heat bright in his eyes.

"Pl-please Ryos...don't make me wait much longer..." Vander whimpered, seeing, and feeling Rogues hand on his nearly bursting cock, even as the fingers of his other hand moved deeply into him. The feelings washing over him were intense, and he could feel himself building to the edge, but he needed something more.

Letting out an impatient growl, Rogue shifted forward, carefully pressing his own erection down to tease at Vanders opening until he was whimpering, before slowly, carefully easing into him, his breath rushing out at the feel of just how tight the man was. It took moments, precious moments of Rogue easing himself deeper into his mate, while Vander squirmed and begged for more.

Finally, finally, their hips met, and Rogue let out a carefully breath, watching Vans face closely, a little surprised at seeing no pain, only pleasure on Van's face.

"Dammit Ryos, I won't break! I'm already so close, fuck me already!" Vander begged, letting his open eyes express just how close he was to his own end.

He didn't know what it was, but Rogue could feel the snap deep inside, and the next thing he knew he was moving in the shadowquip mage, slowly at first, and beginning to pick up speed. His thrusts were hard, and brutal, the couch they were on was slowly being pushed across the room, and sharp cracks could be heard throughout the room as shadows whirled around them both. Vanders eyes were getting defiant, while he grunted with every thrust Rogue took into his body he, writhed, would throw his head back briefly, lips parting as silent cries tried to escape him.

He wasn't new to sex, Gods he'd inducted at 10 and spent 4 years in training, 2 of them learning exclusively how to pleasure men. He was almost insulted Rogue would hesitate, it was like the Dragon Slayer honestly thought he could hurt him, maybe he could, a little, but that certainly would only add to his enjoyment, just the idea was thrilling.

"Gods... Ryos…so gentle…where's my dragon?" He taunted. It was a risk, he'd done it to Cristoff, he and Bickslow used to get thrills out of taunting Cristoff and Emzadi, young Dragon Souls were volatile and aggressive, especially Emzadi was a challenge for Vander, bringing the light and heat of the fucking sun to bear even his shadows would get strained but it had made him stronger, made her stronger too.

So he knew challenging a dragon, especially one already ramped up like Rogue was, was a risk, but Vander loved taking risks, loved playing with the edges of sharp things.

Rogue snarled, shoving Vanders leg out to the side more, lunging down and scraping his long teeth over Vanders chest right above his fresh guild seal, lines of blood beaded up and Rogues rhythm picked up, his thrusts now bone jarring.

Using the armrest of the couch where he'd been ordered to keep his hands Vander braced them in, got a foot down and started thrusting back, smirking faintly when Rogue hissed and moaned at suddenly coming against a new angle and deeper access.

He'd only been with a couple of men, he'd had to be so careful too, especially with Rufus. He'd admittedly taken and given a good pounding to Orga, but even Orga hadn't…couldn't have done what Vander was.

He snarled, changing the way his hand slid over Vanders rigid erection, dragging a nail over the head with a thrust and thrilling as the man clenched his teeth and snarled through them then pushed himself harder into Rogue.

Rogue was a thinker, often caught up in thoughts and careful plans, meticulous, elegant, and Vander knew how to tear that from him, get what he wanted, what he desperately needed from him.

"Make me.. cum… little dragon." He purred between Rogues thrusts.

Rogue bared his teeth again at being called "little", ramming into his mate so hard the supports beneath them cracked and snapped, the couch buckling completely with Vander pushing so hard against the armrest it was ripped away and flew across the room making the runes flare as they barely prevented it from going through the wall.

In an instant Vander had his opening and took his chance, Rogue was just too…sweet, kind, tempered and disciplined, as rough as he would get it wasn't quite enough for Vander, who had been, admittedly, envisioning needing some care from Cristoff after this and his wicked little shadowy soul had been looking forward to that.

He wasn't really into pain per se, but he absolutely loved a power struggle during sex and he'd almost never had it, even the atlan women he'd fucked while on assignment there, hell the atlan guard he'd been in an ally with, all of them had relented and given him control. He liked control, was happy to fill that role, but now and then getting really challenged just thrilled him to his deepest parts.

He knew, KNEW Rogue could do that, he just had to get the man to open up and tear into him, let go, toss the control and let himself free.

So when the couch collapsed, in the instant Rogue gasped and his pace faltered, Vander was on him, ripping him through the shadows and dragging him to the bed. They wrestled there, Rogues eyes flaring to a subtle glow, more scales forming down his arms and over his shoulders as Vander pushed the edge of nearly pinning the slayer to the bed and got a good downward thrust that jarred Vander enough he groaned and lost focus, eyes dilating with the delicious rush of sensation he'd inadvertently given himself by thrusting a little forward as he'd come up, their bodies pressed together dragging his erection between them.

Rogue roared, whipping shadows around them that Vander struggled to bend, pushing hard enough to give Rogue the enraging sensations of his mate challenging even his control of his magic.

It was enough, Rogue slammed him back, reversing their positions and pistoning into him, his head hitting the foot board of the bed he'd bought just a few hours ago because he'd not cared for the little one Rogue had, knew it wouldn't endure his brand of play in bed and he was seeing, with mind blowing delight, Rogue could dish it out just as well as he could.

"Yes!...nngh!...Ryos….!" he snarled, getting his hands up again, hearing the frame of the bed creaking, the iron straining, the ebony wood of the foot board was thick but it creaked too as Vander pressed his palms against it for leverage and to keep his head from hitting it again.

Ryos gripped one of his shoulders, nails biting into his flesh and he hissed a breath in as he pounded into him, Gods he was going to be deliciously sore, Ryos was all slayer too, not a small man, Vander was being stretched to his ends but he clenched down on the Dragon making him hiss and lunge in, a hand bruisingly pressing Vanders hip down to brace him even firmer.

"Mine!" He snarled, kissing him and Vander lost his ability to think, to calculate, to come up with new ways to taunt and drive his mate, consumed by him then. The feelings were so foreign but so welcome, deep want, need, feeling possessive and possessed and revelling in both.

"Yours…Gods…always…yours!" He couldn't speak in the hard challenging tone he'd used so far, the words coming out in strained grunts as Ryos pounded into him and he gave in to everything, needing the soul twining into his, desperate for the hungry mouth that sealed over his again, the kisses that trailed his jaw, the hot tongue dragging over his throat, sliding fangs along with it.

"I will...love you...my mate.." Ryos breathed into his ear and that was it, Vander came apart with those words. Rogue drove harder into him and Vander pushed back with equal force, the large bed groaning and snapping, the mattress shifting but the couple didn't notice, straining into each other as Vander climaxed and Rogue sank his fangs into the hot flesh of his neck.

The moment the fangs pierced his skin Vander went rigid, the pain of the bite was nothing compared to the magic being pushed into his body, it seared as it entered him but then his own overpowered it and there was a moment of concern, a flicker of a frown on his face as he felt Ryos draw on his magic. Shadowquip magic was so much deeper, delved into the true voids, and by mating with Vander, Rogue was tapping into that and Vanders hands left the footboard, vaguely registering when he let go, the wood clattered free to the floor. Hands sliding down his mates sides.

Rogue greedily pushed his magic into his mate then drank him in hungrily and instantly knew why this mating was so incredibly perfect. Vanders magic flowed into him with his blood and Rogue was taking in shadow magic deadlier than his own, a reach and scope he'd never be able to fully master but just what he would gain would amplify his abilities tremendously.

He couldn't think about that though, his own body undoing, releasing in his mate as he felt Vanders heated release between their bodies and faintly smiled contemplating a shared shower already.

He collapsed onto his mates body, licking at the mating bite, eyes narrow and lazily watching as it filled, swirling into his name in draconic, a black smoky dragon form curling through the runes.

When the bleeding stopped he felt Vanders hands sliding up his back, gentle but firm and pushed himself up to look down into sated wine colored eyes.

"Guess you didn't buy a good enough bed." He teased and Vanders eyes narrowed

"That weak ass thing you had would have flown apart when we landed on it." He shot back. Eyes drifting around he looked back up at Ryos. "We're getting a damn house too, I don't like neighbors being so close."

Rogue smiled, Vander could have asked for anything and he'd give it to him, he'd never, not in his entire life, been happier than he was right then. The sexy beast beneath him belonged to him now, he could kiss that mouth, touch that tanned skin whenever he wanted…and Gods did he want to.

Vanders mouth quirked seeing Rogues expression get a little misty and feeling the euphoria, the happiness through the rapidly forming bond. "Such a smile…Gods help me you're gorgeous." He growled, a hand catching the back of Rogues head and pulling him down for a long heated kiss, he smiled faintly feeling both Rogue and himself stirring, bodies already gearing up for another round.

"Told you you would not break me, I'm almost offended you kept holding back on me." He teased, mumbling the words against his mates mouth between kisses.

"Well, we broke the couch, and the bed Van." Rogue pointed out smiling against Vanders slanting lips.

Vander grinned, eyes flashing wickedly and Ryos bit his lip at the look, dear Gods his heart raced under that look.

"Lets see how durable the shower is…I wonder if Levy and Freed thought to reinforce the bathroom walls like they did the outer ones…"

Rogue smiled and Vander yanked him tight against him, shadows took him, Vanders were so much blacker, colder than his own and he'd always been cautious in his, the whispers ever present, here though, there were things far more terrifying. Unaffected, Vander pulled them back out in the bathroom, snickering softly at how runes had lit up to prevent him (or try to) from leaving the apartment.

"You could get through them…couldn't you?" Rogue asked looking at him closely and Vander smirked. "Yes…without even slowing down, I can dive deep into the voids, I wouldn't pull you there though, too much would be drawn to you down deep, I wouldn't risk you…" He admitted, surprised by his own sincere conviction in the statement, he really did mean it.

But Rogue was leaning into him, and his body felt delicious, and those shadows….oh he really wanted to show his mate how well he could use those….

He pressed Rogue into the shower against the wall, the shorter mage staring up at him hungrily. Gods he couldn't believe how much he needed him, how badly he wanted him, they'd just had some heavy world rocking sex already, the mark was still tingling in his neck and he felt the insatiable hunger almost more than he had earlier…almost, it was different now, he was greedy for what he already knew now.

There were things he knew about Dragon Slayers too, about nuzzling, dragging bodies against each other, contact points that worked on them that worked on nobody else, ways of touching that might seem odd to a normal person but would drive a dragon slayer out of their minds, he was grateful he'd paid attention when Nurem had been teaching things to his siblings now.

As the water started filling the shower with steam his hands slid over Rogue body and the shivers, the quivering reactions he got, followed by deep rolling growls and purrs had him aching, hard as before reveling in his mates pleasure.

Ryos was nearly mindless, he'd dreamed too much about those long fingered hands, the first thing he'd wanted, first thing his mind had grasped was the idea of those hands on his skin when he had met Vander, and now here he was, pressed against the cool tiles of the shower, steaming water sheeting over Vander onto him as Vander pressed in against him, slid his body against his, angled touches, nuzzles, long gliding caresses over him that had his dragon rolled over and writhing in ecstasy inside him.

The increase to his bodys reactions because of his inner enjoyment was large, and when Vanders body pressed fully against his, the taller mage tilting his head and coming up under his chin, nipping there, drawing Rogue mouth down to cover his, Vander made a smooth humming sound of pleasure that set Rogues nerves firing.

"Gods…I knew…I knew it could be…like this with you…." Rogue breathed and Vander smiled against his lips

"Oh love…we haven't started yet…"He purred and activated his magic, spread his touch through Rogues body, first getting a feel for the shadows laced all through him, it would take little for him to disassemble a body using this skill, he'd done it, in fights with dark shadow mages, he had just ripped their shadows out of them and torn them apart.

But he was skilled, practiced too in using those shadows to pleasure a partner, that was the real art to him, something he thoroughly enjoyed and doing it to his mate? Pure pleasure to him.

Rogue groaned as Vander started working his body, barely noticed being turned so he faced the wall, Vander carefully, gently placed his hands to the wall too.

"Brace yourself love…Fuck…I've so wanted to do this since the moment I saw you…" He rasped and Rogue closed his eyes, trying but failing to even form words and Vander seemed suddenly just everywhere, all over him, massaging his now rigid erection with shadows, using the curling warm steam, flipping off the light in the bathroom to give himself even more to work with, the light from the living room providing a dim bit of illumination, but shadows reigned.

He wanted his mate, needed him, and feeling him this way, all over him, Vanders warm hands gripped his hips and then he gasped as he felt himself prodded, not by hands or even Vanders body but magic, pressed into him worked along within him until he was moaning, growling, it was so…good, but it wasn't what he wanted, needed, instinctively he knew the difference.

"You ready for me love?" Vander purred at his ear, he felt him, pressing against his thigh, even though his senses were almost overloaded by what Vander was doing with his cock, sensation rolling up and down in a firm steady rhythm that suddenly stopped as Vander positioned himself at Rogues eager nod.

"Don't you dare…tease me…" Rogue growled and Vander chuckled breathy and languid by his ear.

"No…not now…now I'll give you all I have…"Vander assured him and Rogue groaned as he pressed in, felt himself just taken and Vander moaned. "Fuck…better than…than I imagined…oh fuck you feel…incredible…"

Breathing deeply, he started slow at first, building swiftly as Rogue shifted and got better braced, started thrusting back into him, the caresses resumed too, his cock stroked and squeezed in sync with Vanders thrusts from behind and it was more than Rogue could take, his knees weakening but Vander held him firmly, lips dragging over the back of his neck.

Vanders eyes rolled back in his head, Rogues skin was just…sin…the sweet scent of sugared pears, the smoky hint of shadow magic, it permeated him, drove his senses over an edge into overload, if there was something that took Vander and drove him wild, it was his endless wicked need for the sweet sin that Rogue just embodied for him now.

He couldn't get deep enough make their connection firm enough but Rogue powering back into him, adding force to his thrusts so their bodies were jarred with the impact of meeting achieved it, the Dragon Slayer could take more than Vander had ever laid out with anyone before, all his strength, all his passion, Rogue took it and begged for more, losing his grip on the wall, Vanders next thrust brought Rogues chest against it and he snarled, ramming his hands back up so he could get the purchase he wanted to push back into Vanders body.

"God…yes! Harder Van!" He growled and Vander growled back, teeth closing on his shoulder as Vander adjusted his grip, those long fingers moving, getting better purchase as muscular thighs came against him from a change in stance and the next two thrusts sent them to the floor of the shower Rogue tearing through tile and wall with his claws as he went down but neither mage stopped.

Vander stepped up his assault on Rogues body too, shadows were now whipping around the room, tile cracking, porcelain fracturing, the shower curtain shredded and Rogue embraced them, let them thread through him, groaned at the immense pleasure they laid into his body even as Vanders flesh set in more, pounded into him relentlessly until finally he screamed out his end, the orgasm more intense than the one he'd had during their mating because he just felt Vander…everywhere, all over him, through him, inside of him and Vander came when Rogues body tensed and his name was roared out.

"Ryos…" He gasped, bliss just wrecking him then, bone deep and the strength just flew from him under the intensity of the waves of pleasure. Both men collapsed to the floor of the shower, the water was becoming less steaming hot and Rogue was grinning like an idiot and couldn't stop himself, never in his life had he felt so good, had anything been so hugely pleasure laden as that had been.

Vander wasn't much better, mind officially blown, until now, the best sex he'd ever had he had always held was with a male and female team of Sudehpah during his third year training at the headquarters for the Sudehpah organization. The three weeks with them had been the most intense of his life as far as sex went, honestly, only womens bodies had yielded anything close to the responses he liked but Ryos had just shattered it all, and he was smiling as he reached to stand and then helped

Ryos to his feet, the two showered, saying nothing, just smiling, both so immensely pleased with each other they barely noticed the wrecked shower, holes in the walls or trashed bathroom.

Instead they eased through shadows again twining around each other, playfully testing, touches getting more and more wicked until they ended up in the hallway on the floor, writhing in a tangle of limbs, kissing, biting, thrusting against each other until another interior wall was victimized by Vander trying to brace himself as Rogue gripped his ass and started licking and sucking at his cock. The Dragon Slayer so hungry for the taste of his mate he didn't really care whether Vander were standing or taken to the floor again, he meant to drive his mate wild and succeeded. Vander ended up pinned to the floor. Rogue pressing his thighs down to keep him still while he worked the mans length with his mouth until Vander gasped out his end, calling out Rogues name.

They did finally make it to the bedroom and even onto the bed before Vander pinned Rogue down and did the same to him as Rogue had just done in the hallway.

Rogue groaning and snarling, moaning as Vanders skilled mouth worked his length and when his fingers curled into the wavys lengths of his mates hair and he started thrusting between those silken lips Rogue vaguely registered some amazement at how his mate not only took all of him, but there wasn't a gag, wasn't hesitation, just lusty responses.

He was a bit jealous, and now determined his own efforts would improve, his gag reflex had inhibited his enjoyment of the process in the hallway, he knew Vander had training in all of this, and damn it, his mate was going to teach him or he'd hire one of those Boscan teachers and learn on his own, he needed to be able to do this, to turn the tables on his mate, this was…

Thought ended when Vander purred and ran teeth over Rogues length, then until he growled out Vanders name again, felt his mate working everything he had to offer from him when he came, he couldn't have managed a coherent thought if his life had depended on it.

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There was a loud knocking at the door.

Sting rolled over snarling as Lector and Frosh ran over the top of him and Xally giggled, watching the two exceeds sprint from the bedroom and toward the living room with Frosh bright eyed and singing, "Rogue!"

"Little shits…" Sting grumbled his grouchy look failing when he saw his smiling mate, hair disheveled from sleep and their activities before they had let sleep take them.

"Your fault sugar, you said they could sleep in here." She pointed out. He narrowed his eyes on her.

"Yeah because you wanted them to and I was too damn happy at the time to think straight…" He pointed out. Xally smirked and his heart lurched in his chest, dear Gods he was so head over heels in love with her it hurt, she just owned him and he couldn't even be anything but happy about that. After she had ridden him to a world rocking orgasm last night she'd purred that Frosh and Lecter should be allowed to sleep with them since Frosh was missing Rogue so much.

What man on Earthland could deny a naked black haired pale blue eyed beauty that had just fucked their brains out their ears anything she asked? Of course he'd allowed it, he would have let her bring Vulcans into the house and keep them as pets if she'd asked at that moment.

Commotion out in their living room had her sliding from the bed and him growling at the sight of her naked body, hips swinging as she went to the chair by the door to the bathroom to grab her robe she looked over her shoulder at him saucily.

"Come be a gracious host sugar, graciousness is sexy to me…" She said and Sting was out of the bed grabbing his own robe in a rush.

Coming out to find Rogue and Vander both on their knees by his open front door was a bit surprising. Rogue smiling, biting at his lip while Vander bent and was letting Frosh tug at his long hair, the little cosplaying exceed staring up into the shadowquips eyes.

"Vander is...Rogues mate now?" She asked and Rogue was nodding.

"He is Frosh, he's our family now." Rogue replied softly. Sting smiled, pulling Xally against him so they didn't interfere. Rogue was so close to Frosh, she meant the world to him. The significance of this first meeting with Vander was huge.

Frosh looked into Vanders eyes again and Vander smiled, he sensed the importance, could feel how much his mate loved this little creature, and gave her his warmest look. She held her front paws out to him in a silent request to be picked up and he lifted her, smiling as she lunged in and hugged him.

"Vander is family for Frosh too!" She said brightly and Rogue beamed, stroking the exceeds head as she nuzzled into Vanders shoulder. "Will we go home now?" Frosh asked hopefully and Vander kissed her head.

"We're getting a new house, darling Frosh, and you will help pick it out after we have some breakfast together, anywhere you want to go." The shadowquip said.

"Frosh wants cake for breakfast!" The exceed declared and Rogue laughed lightly, one weekend with Erza and his little exceed was bent on cake for breakfast forever.

"Wessermans bakery it is then." Vander said, standing, Frosh cuddled against him. He smiled down at the little exceed, already smitten, it was easy to see why Ryos loved her like he did, she was such a pure and bright little soul. Lector looked up at Sting and he shook his head, the silent question understood and Lector backed up to stand by Sting and Xally.

"Thank you for watching her for us." Vander said smiling at his sister, Xally stepped forward and pulled her brother over so she could kiss his cheek then did the same to Rogue.

"Any time, maybe Lector can spend time with you while we take a vacation some time." She said smiling and Rogue nodded. "Of course!"

Frosh clung to Vander, fascinated by his hair that was longer than Rogues, and the earring in his ear, a dark beautiful ruby eyed serpent that formed a hoop Frosh played with as they walked to the bakery for breakfast. Rogue smiled watching her, delighted she liked Vander right off, Frosh had always been a good judge of character.

It was late the next day when they appeared at the guild. Kaleb looked up and grinned, Cobras eye turning to follow his mates and he smirked too. In all his dealings with the Shadow Dragon Slayer he'd not seen Rogue look quite so relaxed and happy. He glanced at Kaleb, whose handsome profile still and probably always would make his mouth go dry.

Whatever Arman Pradesh did to raise his children, he'd raised some impressive people. Rogue was just fucking giddy. Cobra leaned back into Kaleb, putting a foot up on the bench and closed his eyes, enjoying the soft conversation in his head he could enjoy with Kaleb, letting his mates soul just wrap around him for a bit until Rogue settled down, while some of the things he and Vander had been up to sparked a certain eagerness to get his own mate alone to try some fun himself, he was getting better, intimacy had become easier, it was distinctly very pleasure laden now and something he no longer stressed over, he and Kaleb were still taking things at a leisurely pace though.

He knew that would change, his own appetite for his mate was far from sated, he knew the edge wasn't gone, the hunger still had a bite to it even now, but they would get there. Then he would be pushing his mates substantial stamina and talents. Until then, this lazy closeness was like a balm for his scared soul.

Rogue paused to grin at Sting who was sitting with Xally, letting Frosh down to run over to join Lecter and Vander slid up to the bar leaning on the smooth surface and Mira was soon getting his order. Neither man noticed Cana standing up and sauntering over to the bar.

Rogue would be the first one to say his mate looked good, better than good, in snug faded jeans, calf high black boots and a maroon compression shirt that hugged his well built body. His wavy black hair loose for a change, he usually had it pulled back into a leather band so it was out of his way but Rogue liked it down. The ends of the layers in Vanders hair were this deep rusty red color you couldn't see well when it was pulled back, Rogue loved it so he'd left it down since Rogue had indulged him and worn jeans and a t-shirt instead of his usually loose-fitting pants and robes.

"Oh shit…nobody told Cana…"Bickslow had been grinning, seeing his brother come in looking so happy, his smile fell when he saw Cana stroll toward Vander with that predatory look she got when she was about to circle some man she wanted.

Cana had been off on a job when everything had gone down with Rogue and Vander and had just come in maybe an hour ago.

Levys head snapped up. "Oh no…"

Rogue turned and saw the scene about to unfold, Cana moving toward his mate with a smirk on her face, he could smell her arousal, her eyes running down Vanders tall body as the man stretched forward on his elbows chatting with Mira, oblivious.

Just as Cana was reaching to get her hand on Vanders denim clad ass Rogue caught her wrist and stopped her. She stared at him wide eyed and he smirked, reaching forward and running a hand up Vanders back. The shadowquip glanced toward him, saw it was him and turned back to Mira but Miras face made him frown and turn to his other side, seeing Cana with her wrist still in Rogues grasp.

"Something you need to understand clearly Cana." Rogue said, pushing his hand into Vanders thick hair he pushed it aside and Vander, realizing what he was doing, tipped his head to the other side as Rogue bared his neck to Canas eyes, the mating mark clearly standing out on the mans tan skin.

"Vander is Mine…my mate…" He released her wrist and with the hand that had held it grabbed Vanders ass right where Cana had planned to so hard Vander made a surprised sound but didn't move away, just smirked at his mate, meeting his cocky proud eyes and getting a little thrill out of the fact Rogue was enjoying announcing his claim.

"Only I get to touch this." He added, fondling Vanders rear. Cana smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Well fine then, two more sexy things off the menu I guess." She chuckled. Leaning closer to Rogue she grinned. "If you ever want something feminine wedged between you two, you just let me know." She turned then, giving Vander one last longing look before sauntering back to where she'd been sitting by Macao and Wakaba.

Rogue turned as Vander did, Vander resting back on the bar on his elbows while Rogue stepped into him and slid a hand through his wavy hair, smiling as his eyes drank in the warm amused expression on Vanders face.

"Mine." He whispered and Vanders smile warmed more.

"Completely." He agreed.

His free hand sliding around Vanders waist he leaned up and Vander met him, kissing him soundly, the wolf whistle from Cana making Rogue want to grin, these two women, Cana and Mira, they were who he most wanted to show off his claim of Vander to.

Still, just pressing against him now, taking those warm lips for a few moments almost made him forget what he was doing.

"Easy love, I don't have a shy or modest bone in my body, I'll make out with you till you cum in those jeans…" Vander purred against his lips and Rogue almost, almost pushed it, wanting that, wanting his mate to just lavish that promised pleasure on him, but he blushed, Cana was making a lewd comment about needing to wedge herself in between them and he really wasn't sure he wanted that woman to see just how lusty his mate could really get, that part of Vander…was his now.

"Maybe I should…maybe you'd like it…"Vander was nuzzling into his hair and Rogue shuddered, oh Gods, in front of everyone? The fear of being on display like that, why was it almost eclipsed by the thrill of the idea?

His mates breathy chuckle sent another shudder through him.

"Oh love…I'm going to make you enjoy letting me see that kink…" Vander pulled back though, he'd felt that thrill run through Rogue when he'd made his little threat, couldn't put a finger on just how much it thrilled him too knowing his mate, elegant, reserved, so punctual and neat, who had almost lost his shit when they had hired the contractor that morning to repair what they'd done to the apartment….got a thrill out of the risks of sex in public?

Oh he was going to have fun with that.

He should have guessed, Rogue had been eye fucking with him while he'd been on stage the night they'd met, his robed had hidden his arousal well but Vander had felt it, had taunted him, teased him, had his shadows caressing that lean muscular body all under those robes.

They got their food though and went to the table to sit with the others. Vander eyed Freed.

"So…no protections for the inner walls we noticed…" He said casually and Freeds eyes widened as Cobra snorted.

"Vander…." Rogue frowned. He really didn't want everyone knowing they had all but destroyed his apartment. Vander on the other hand had no such reservations.

"Shower didn't last, but the floor reinforcements kept us from flooding the apartment downstairs, so that worked out." He observed while even Kaleb snickered.

"I…well, we didn't think you would…oh we really should have…after what happened to Laxus' house…" Freed sighed.

"Yeah well…these two were the last though…good thing, my nerves are shot out. I'm glad Wendys young, hopefully we wont be facing this with her for a year or two." Bickslow said, long fingers massaging Levys thigh and making his mate blush a little. He couldn't help it, Gajeels rough fingers were doing the same thing to his own thigh.

"We're meeting a realtor after breakfast. I don't care for apartments anyway, Rogue and Sting have got a great idea they're putting together so we're going to find something close to the guild so we'll be nearby to work on that if it gets the masters approval, and I'm betting it will." He said, giving his mate a warm smile. Rogue blushed faintly under the proud confidence.

"So let's see it." Cristoff nodded with a wicked smile and Rogue reached up before Vander could, pulling the thick hair aside so the mark could be easily seen.

Cristoff grinned "It's official then, Vanders finally been collared."

Vanders eyes narrowed. "You were well before me." He pointed out. Cristoff shrugged, feeling Natsu slid a hand over his knee then up the inside of his thigh and he glanced to him, meeting a grin that made his chest warm.

"Natsu's the one who wears the collar." He smirked and the curl of his lip baring a fang was the only indication of how hard his pink haired mate gripped his thigh at that comment.

His own hand flew right to the inside of Natsus thigh, fingers brushing the mans center and making him instantly loosen his grip as Cristoffs fingers trailed over him soothingly.

Breakfast went by pleasantly then, plenty of teasing, Sting adding his own well timed barbs to the mix so Vander wasn't the only one getting it.

When they stood to go meet the realtor though Rogue was all smiles. Vander had an eye for real estate, and was good at location and investment, Rogue had an eye for the details, the quality of construction and what sort of work they may have to do, what they would need to replace or change. Between the two of them, the realtor had her work limited to providing the addresses they were looking at and opening doors and staying out of the way. Vander was all charm, and had piqued her interest immediately until Rogue had picked up on that and started touching Vander in ways that made it clear they weren't just friends.

Somehow, he got a distinct thrill out of establishing his claim on his mate and seeing the interest he just naturally stirred in others get dashed.

Vander didn't miss what he did either, he kind of liked Rogues possessiveness, which was uncommon for him, usually whenever any lover got possessive it turned him right off, but with Rogue, he wanted it.

After running the realtor about ragged for a few days though they settled on a two story. Facing the guild it was off to the west of it, just across the bridge that connected where the guild sat overlooking Lake Sciloria and just beneath where Rogue and Sting had been looking to build their idea.

It overlooked the canal, had an alley separating it from the building next door and had once had a small restaurant on the bottom floor that had been converted into a large open concept living space with a gourmet kitchen. Four bedrooms and baths were upstairs and there was even a wrap around balcony on the second floor and a garden area on the roof.

Rogue had recoiled from the price at first, the area hosted the favored coffee bar most of the guild liked if they weren't having it at the guild hall and a couple upper end boutiques then just high priced homes and condos. Vander though had waved it off, years working as a Blood Hunter for the Steel Council of Bosco living in a paid off house in Pelerno had allowed him to build up some hefty savings.

They bought the house outright, making the realtor and seller both very happy and gathered help from Sting and Vanders brothers moving Rogues things from the apartment…and enduring being teased about the amount of repairs still being done to said apartment. But less than a week after they were mated they were moved in, awaiting delivery of Vanders furniture from his home back in Pelerno before they went and bought anything else.

Rogue was in a state of shocked happiness, looking around the large space of his new home. Freed and Levy had come through and re-enforced everything they could think of too, and they found from the second story balcony they actually had a view out over lake Sciloria since they were the end house by the bridge over the canal.

The morning after the furniture was delivered he lay on the four poster bed, Vander curled against his back, looking out the window over the lake as the sun was rising, in absolute awe of how much his life had changed in short order. Glancing down his eye traveled over Vanders tanned arm laying across him, he was pale skinned and it was a stark contrast to his mates sun bronzed skin, he loved it though, he blinked, threading his fingers through Vanders, smiling faintly when his mate tightened his arms around him and nuzzled in closer to his neck.

He loved Vander, his heart had ached for the man from the moment he'd met him, and he'd been in a state of free fall since then, and, while he'd thought it impossible, that the man would never give up the life he had for him, Vander had been there to catch him, when he'd needed him most, Vander had given up everything to be there for him, and had been right at his side since.

What he'd ever done to deserve it he couldn't imagine, but he was happy, immensely happy, and so very in love, and from Vanders actions, and the little pet "Love" nickname he called Rogue now and then, he knew that love was returned, though Vander hadn't said it out right, yet anyway, he'd showed it, proven it.

Now they had a home together, and, he grinned wickedly, Vanders bed from Pelerno was re-enforced, spacious and had proven it could endure their wild play last night. His eyes lingered on the chain attached to the bedpost by him, now THAT had been fun, his mate knew so many ways to pleasure him, he was going to have to start applying himself to giving some back.

Outmaneuvering his skilled lover, it was a challenge he was going to have a lot of fun working on.


	23. Chapter 22

A/N: *sticks white flag out, slowly eases into view, chuckling nervously* Hiya folks...so sorry for the delayed update...*ducks thrown items* Wait! Waitwaitwait! Here it is! And as you can see, it's a really BIG update! It's really informative, and Desna and I have been working hard to get this chapter done. We even debated splitting it, but because we love you all, we decided to give you the full thing...so without further ado, please enjoy and remember to leave a review!

* * *

Lucy stirred her milkshake, managing, she hoped, not to frown and turned her back on the guild hall to face the bar. She needed to get a grip. The guy at the coffee shop had asked her out, maybe she should just go out with him, or take Cana up on her suggestion she go with Cana and Mira to the Devils Gate down in Hargeon, watch some handsome men strip, drink too much, dance too much and cut loose for a night.

Cana planned to get a hotel room at the swanky casino across the street from the Devils Gate, they wouldn't even have far to drunkenly stumble and Lucy vowed she'd get her own room...knowing Cana and Mira were both unlikely to return to theirs alone and Lucy wasn't feeling like a one night stand, she was craving depth...love.

Something the guild hall was bursting with these days.

Vander was sitting with Rogue, Sting and Xally, Laxus standing behind Rogue looking over plans laid out on the table for some idea Rogue and Sting had for a new side business the guild could run.

Even busy with serious things, the couples radiated their contentment. Especially Rogue, who frequently, openly, admired his new mate, sitting leaning his chin on his hand gazing up at Vander dreamily. Whenever the other shadow mage caught it he'd smile and sweep in for a bone melting kiss that would leave Rogue wide eyed, blushing crimson and looking around the guild to see how many people had just watched his mate push his tongue into his mouth and make him moan.

Things had settled again, Rogue was fully recovered, consummating things, claiming Vander as his mate and having Vander sweep him up into getting them set up in their own home and to be a busy couple of working guild mages had done the Shadow Slayer tremendous good. He laughed now, more than Lucy had ever seen him laugh before. Of course, having a mate like Vander, who was vibrant, wicked, a serious smart ass and prankster who even flustered Sting and Bickslow at times, played a big part in that.

Cobra frowned slightly, he and Kaleb had switched places that night, Cobra straddling the bench with Kaleb leaning into him, reading while Cobra played with Kalebs hair and read over his shoulder. He wasn't really reading though, no, he was listening into the Blonde at the bar who was radiating a sadness lately he had finally caught. He was almost a little ashamed he'd not caught onto it sooner.

Judging by the way her soul walked the path it was on, these feelings weren't new. She was berating herself, feeling guilty about not being as happy for her friends as she felt she should be and was aching, longing for something she couldn't identify.

He drew Kalebs attention to it and both of them sat "reading" trying to figure out what was bothering Lucy.

It wasn't until Laxus pulled Emzadi into his arms and kissed her, and memories of certain dreams flooded Lucys head that both men had their eyes widen a little. The dreams were more than a little x-rated and Cobra frowned at the black wings, he knew of no mage that had wings like those, long and feathered like an angels.

Cobra couldn't make sense of it and Kaleb shook his head softly, telling his mate they needed to see about Lucy not being alone too much.

"Sting, you're buying Xally a day at the spa right?" Kaleb asked suddenly looking up and Xally smiled.

"He is, he won some bet, something to do with who would come out of a mating better?" She tilted her head and Kaleb smirked.

"Oh yeah...heh, I won on that too." Cobra chuckled.

Four days after he had shattered the guild windows, taking Emzadi to make her his mate, Laxus had come into the guild hall with an arm slung over Emzadis shoulders. She had fixed her brother Cristoff with a glare and he'd promptly jumped over the table he was sitting at and rushed to them, pulling Laxus' arm over his own shoulders so Emi could move better..

"Right, let's get him upstairs Emi…"

Three cracked ribs, a few burns, bruises, cuts, nail marks cut deep into his broad back and over his ass cheeks. Cristoff had barely managed to keep himself from snickering as he'd brought the glowering lightning slayer back to full health.

"You need to eat...a lot, you're dehydrated too, so um...yeah, I'd recommend twice your usual for dinner and no alcohol until you've downed at least 36 ounces of something hydrating, I recommend Miras iced tea or lemonade. Emi?" He'd looked at his sister who sat on the opposite side of the infirmary bed, fawning over her mate.

Once she met his eyes Cristoff smiled. "Make sure he both eats and drinks at least every 6 hours ok? You've always been so fucking tough but you don't want to fuck your mate into an early grave." He chuckled and Emi and Laxus both had growled at him but Cristoff had beat a hasty retreat before anything could be said, leaving Laxus to his sister knowing she would listen to him and take better care with her big handsome mate in the future.

Now, Lucy found herself so lost in thought that when Markarovs booming voice echoed out over the gathered guildmates, she jerked, knocking the rest of her milkshake over with a yelp. She didn't have to look to know that the slayers were cringing from how loud his voice was if the curses she heard were anything to go by.

"Listen up brats! I need the all of slayers, including Wendy, and their mates in my offfice now, and after I meet with them, I'll be sending for others to come meet with me. Lucy, I need you to join us now as well." With announcement, Markarov hopped off of the second floor banister and went back to his office. Exchanging look, each slayer shrugged before rising to their feet, their mates with them, and Lucy bringing up the rear.

Once all of the members were gathered in the closed, sealed and silenced office, Markarov looked over them all with a smile. "Alright brats, it was brought to my attention from Arman that a charity ball is coming up in a few weeks. Farron will be there, and is wanting to see all of his family, and has sent along a personal...request we'll say...for each of you to be there."

"In other words the family is being ordered home." Cristoff stated, leaning back on the couch with Natsu sitting on the floor between his feet. Gajeel and Bickslow had claimed the seats next to him, naturally pulling Levy down onto their laps, with Vander and Rogue at their feet. Sting and Xally had claimed one chair in front of the masters desk, Laxus and Emi had claimed the other while Lucy and Wendy leaned against each back.

"He's probably wanting to show to a great deal of the nobility that would be there that his children are no longer on the marriage list." Kaleb continued, crossing his arms from where he leaned against the wall next to the door, Cobra beside him.

"So it's not a request, it's a formal order under the guise of a request." Bickslow snorted, running a hand absently over Levy's back.

"Essentially." Markarov agreed with a shrug.

"Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing. You know Dad's been getting buried in marriage offers for each of us." Xally mused, fingers running through Stings hair, lulling him into a purring puddle.

"But why Lucy and I? We're not part of the family." Wendy asked in honest curiosity.

"You are though. In dragon terms, you've both been claimed as kin, and are part of this crazy tatsu, or better known as family." Emzadi explained, tugging lightly on the ends of Laxus' hair. "Did Dad say when this charity ball is happening?" She asked.

"He said two weeks, and if you want any information regarding what it's about to go ahead and contact him. Apparently none of you call him enough as it is." Markarov chuckled.

"We'll all go to the spa right before the ball then, then head to Archipelago from there. And as for talking to him, psshh we spoke with him a couple of weeks ago." Xally stated. "Don't worry about really packing anything, there'll be plenty of clothes that we can wear there, and appropriate gowns."

"Wait, does this mean we're going to have to wear those stupid monkey suits?" Natsu whimpered, turning to give big baby dragon eyes to his mate over his shoulder. Cristoff smirked faintly, as if he would leave Natsu in a suit for long as good as he looked in them...

"Yep, it is a requirement." Markarov answered.

The excited grins from the girls, and the resigned groans from the men had Markarov smirking even as he reached for the tumbler of whiskey he had been sipping on before he had called them up to his office.

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He was elegant. He was polished. He was tall and broad shouldered with the genetic looks that came from his family.

And dear gods he was bored.

Being the crown prince of the island kingdom of Archipelago came with a lot of responsibilities, and ultimately, headaches. Unlike his siblings, he didn't have the option of running off on adventures, he had to stay and make sure things ran smoothly, maybe occasionally make political trips to other kingdoms, but otherwise, he tended to stick close to home.

Letting out a quiet sigh, he looked out over the crowded ballroom, just barely managing to keep himself from grimacing at all of the gowns and hopeful or lustful smiles he saw. He knew exactly what this ball was actually for, rather than the fundraiser event that it was supposed to be supporting. No, the fundraiser to help families affected by the various battles between light and dark guilds was the cover up for the noble class, specifically eligible women, to appear before the prince and attempt to garner his attention, maybe even his hand in marriage.

He had recently turned twenty-five, and the questions buzzing around his marital status increased every month. He, however, refused to bend to the societies expectations. He would marry when he was good and ready, when he had found the person who made him happy. Thankfully, his father, the king, supported him in his decision, and when new engagement offers arrived in his office every day, he didn't think twice about throwing the endless stacks of paper into the fireplace that sat behind his desk. Arman had even managed to make Farron laugh in delight one day when he purposely picked up the newest pile of offers, looked him straight in the eyes...and threw the pile into the roaring fire, the paper being quickly eaten up by the flames.

Now, a few months later, he was leaning back in his throne placed next to his fathers, watching the mingling of the people that were attending the ball, smiling politely at the endless hopeful looks he kept getting from the parade of single women, even some men. Letting out another tired sigh, and fighting the increasing urge to yawn, he leaned towards his father, lifting a hand to block his mouth from those keeping an eye on them.

"Father, I thought you said they would be here?" Farron whispered, casting his eyes once more over the crowd. It had been months since he had seen his siblings, much longer than he'd like, and they had all agreed to be at this ball, their mates in tow. That's right, every one of his siblings, even those who were dragon slayers themselves, had found their mates in Fiore, specifically ended up finding them at the same guild his younger brother had joined years ago. This would be the first time in years that the entire family had managed to come home all at once.

"They will be Farron, don't worry. They're probably going to be making a bit of an entrance in all honesty." Arman reassured him, patting him on his arm.

"Some how that doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I'm just hoping they'll be able to control their mates..." Farron sighed, dropping his chin into a fist, still bored. He knew his boredom was also branching from his knowledge that they were going to be here. He was, quite simply, excited. He missed each of his siblings, and looked forward to seeing them with their spouses.

"I'm sure they'll be able to. And if I remember correctly, I think Cristoff mentioned that their youngest slayer would be joining them as well as a friend of theirs."

"Father are you serious? A child? She'll be bored with all of this!" Farron protested, looking at his father in dismay.

"Far from it Farron, Wendy is-"

BOOM BOOM BOOM

Arman cut off and looked towards the doors leading to the ballroom and quickly rose to his feet, Farron following his lead. Their head butler, Gerard, stood rigidly, his staff resting on the floor beside him at the doors, having drawn everyone's attention as per standard protocol of this balls and announcing newcomers.

Farron felt his excitement raising, and it took every ounce of will he had not to start fidgeting. And where normally he wouldn't pay attention to the names of those joining the event, this time he would so that way he could place the names of his siblings spouses with faces.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with great honor, I announce the following arrivals." Gerard stated clearly, his voice carrying over the silence that his staff had gained him when he slammed it against the floor.

"Lady Levana, Lord Gajeel and Lord Bickslow Pradesh." He stated firmly, the doors swinging open to the trio striding into the room with confidence, led by Bix. Farron nodded, remembering that he had been told that Bix had two soulmates, one of which was a dragon slayer, the other a script mage. He could see the clear dark marks on the sides of Bix's and Levy's neck, so he was able to determine that Gajeel had to be the dragon slayer.

His father had spent countless long restless nights pacing worrying about Bickslow, Farron had seen it, been unable to do much more than hope the whole situation worked out for his brother, judging by his smile it had. He looked happy, and while the little script mage was a beauty, Gajeel was an obvious force to be reckoned with.

"Lord Erik and Lord Kaleb Pradesh." Ah yes, that one had definitely made ripples in the family. The first mated pair after Bix. When Kaleb had gone to visit Bix the previous year, the last thing anyone had been expecting was for another sibling to end up mated. Especially Kaleb, the Guild Master to the largest guild in Bosco, his younger brother had a lot of responsibilities in their homeland. Kaleb had even had their father sorting through offers to go ahead and arrange a marriage for him since he never had time to date or try to find someone.

Yet on Kalebs neck, clearly visible with his long platinum hair pulled back in a loose black velvet ribbon, was the elegant mark Erik had put there. He could admit that even as he appeared surly, and dangerous, Erik did hold himself with a type of confidence that came from experience, not entitlement.

Watching those two walk into the room, he was mildly surprised when a single amethyst eye locked onto his own gaze with humor, even as Erik nodded at him.

"Lord Natsu and Lord Cristoff Pradesh." He remembered hearing about the chaotic fire dragon slayer from Bix over the years. Quick to act, slow to actually plan, he wasn't sure how the pink haired slayer ended up with Cristoff, his most level headed, calm, laid back sibling, but seeing them together now he could tell that somehow it did work. They strolled into the room with confidence, comfortable with each other, Natsu's grin infectious, and Cristoffs half smile indulgent towards his mate. He didn't miss the quickness in which Cristoff grasped Natsu's hand, pulling him to a stop and whispering in his ear, gaining an eager nod in return. He'd have to ask what that was about later.

The volume of miserable looking women had increased a lot when Cristoff had been announced, like Kaleb his long black hair pulled back since he was in a suit, the dark elegant mark clearly visible on his neck.

Cristoff had been hugely popular, more sought after than Farron until he'd found his mate, and a source of concern for their father with the number of broken hearts he tended to leave in his wake. He never meant to cause them, just something about his younger brother captivated people, he was kind, had a huge heart, and while fierce in battle, as a healer he was also compassionate and immensely patient. According to Bickslow, that endless well of patience Cristoff had was a large part of the success of his relationship with his mate.

He would admit that he got a small bit of enjoyment watching the women attending look just crestfallen as one after another of the royal family came in, taken. No wonder there were so many after him…he was their last chance.

"Lord Sting and Lady Xally Pradesh." His sister was enthusiastically pulled into the room by her hand, her blond haired mate laughing as he look back at her over his shoulder. He could see his usually cool and collected sister smiling and blushing and immediately liked the man, even if he did have the presence of a troublemaker.

"Lord Laxus and Lady Emzadi Pradesh." As beautiful as ever, his sister was quick to glide into the room with a large grin, her golden hair dancing around her as she spun to face the large blonde male that strode into the room with a scowl, his gaze scanning over the crowd with a cautious look. That's right, his sister, the solar dragon slayer had mated with the famous Laxus Dreyar, lightning dragon slayer. That was a match that had made everyone happy. Emzadis sunshine to Laxus' storm.

"Lord Ryos and Lord Vander Pradesh." He remembered hearing about the shadow dragon slayer from his younger brother when he had called, freaking out a bit, uncertain as to what he was supposed to have done. His younger brother had always been a bit of a free spirit, and having a dragon slayer suddenly informing him he was his mate then run off before actually talking to him about it had thrown Vander for a loop. After informing Bix of the problems their sibling was having, things had managed to be cleared up, and now he could see just how well they complimented each other. They both had easy, confident grins on their faces, and strolled into the room like they owned the place.

Vanders sharp eyes sliding through the room, ever watchful, but he had nothing but warm looks for his mate. Kaleb and Erik had helped Vander overcome his initial issues with the whole situation, and there was no denying the dark mark in Vanders tan skin beneath his left ear.

Grinning in delight at seeing how much his family had expanded, Farron shifted to step down from the platform the thrones sat on when Gerard made one more announcement. Shifting his gaze to the door once more, he felt himself freeze on the spot.

"Ladies Wendy Marvell and Lucy Heartfilia."

There was nothing.

Nothing was functioning in his brain, he had simply frozen.

She was beautiful. With a sweet smile, bright laugh as she joined the others, and hair as pure as a summer sky. Swallowing hard, and struggling to get his head back on right, he stepped down, away from the thrones with his father by his side, wading through the crowd to greet his siblings and their spouses. Striding toward them, he reminded himself that while he could not read minds, or see souls, he did have hearing on par with that of his dragon slayer siblings, due to his particular magic. He had heard of Wendy before through the grapevine that was his family in the Fairy Tail guild.

The sky dragon slayer, and compassionate healer, getting extra training from his brother Cristoff, who was fond of her, he could see the appeal too. She was, quite simply, lovely. Taking a deep breath, he focused in on the whispers that had started the moment Gerard had finished his announcements, and could only fist his hands at words concerning the blue haired girls age reached him.

Already she had gained the eyes of many single males in attendance, as well as many married ones. He didn't know why it was bothering him so much, their kingdom followed Bosco in the practice of sex, being very open and accepting of it. But hearing the men that were already betting each other to approach her had him seething.

Swallowing against the snarl growing at the back of his throat, he broke through the last of the people, smiling widely at the group of his family mingling with just themselves for the moment. Kaleb and Cobra were the first to notice him, and turned with lifted eyebrows at the confusion they could both hear.

"Farron!" Kaleb greeted, stepping forward to yank his older brother into a back slapping hug.

"It's been a while, let me introduce you to Erik." Kaleb stated, turning to hold out a hand to Erik who had already stepped up with a smirk.

"It's nice to finally meet you Farron." Erik stated, holding out a hand to greet him. Before he could give voice to his thoughts, Kaleb spoke up for him.

"Erik is the poison dragon slayer, and a sound mage, similar to yourself. He can hear souls as well, much like I can hear minds." Kaleb explained, eyes narrowed as Farron's eyes slid past him to the blue haired dragon slayer he knew wasn't too far behind him. Casting his magic out a bit further to reach her, he recoiled quickly, staring at Farron in shock before glancing at his mate who was staring at him in a similar fashion.

Turning as one, they looked at Wendy whose eyes were scanning, trying to find the smell she had first gotten a whiff of when the doors opened, and again when she and Lucy had entered the room. Shifting again, they looked at Farron once more before quickly backing up, making sure they were out of Wendy's way. And it was just in time.

A low growl, heard only by the other slayers, caught their attention and they were quick to turn towards her, wondering what was wrong when she growled again, a little louder, enough to catch the rest of the siblings attention as well.

Lucy, who was still standing beside her, reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, only to have her wrist caught quickly by Natsu who was shaking his head fervently.

"Wendy? What's the matter?" Lucy asked, casting a worried look at her best friend. Another growl was her answer, and Lucy was steadily led away, and placed behind Natsu, with Cristoff standing beside him.

She watched carefully from over his shoulder, fascinated when she saw Wendy's gaze land on a young man she had never seen before, but knew to be the crown prince by his clothing, Farron. Mahogany hair, sky blue eyes and a face...Gods the family didn't skimp on looks, he was as gorgeous as the others. His overall appearance, height, it all struck Lucy pretty hard. Looking at him made her heart skip a beat and her chest tighten, an ache flare up inside her even though he wasn't exactly what she sensed somewhere deep inside her, Farron wasn't "right" his eyes were wrong, his hair lacked golden streaks from the sun...still...It was then that she also noticed that the other siblings had also backed away slightly, watching carefully as a path was cleared from Wendy to Farron.

Hearing a faint slapping sound, followed by a groan, Lucy looked over to find that Bix had buried his face in a hand, and next to him Cobra and Kaleb were fighting not to laugh outright at him.

"How many is this for you now doll boy?" Erik asked with a smirk at some hidden joke.

"Shut it flowers, I've given up at this point." Bix huffed, dropping his hand to cross his arms over his chest.

"Uh...what am I missing here?" Lucy asked, watching the going ons curiously.

"I'm wondering that myself." A deep voice stated from behind her. Turning she found herself

face to face with King Arman and in spite of the bright flush that stole over her face, was quick to curtsy to him.

"Your highness!" She squeaked, bowing her head. She jumped in surprised at the sudden laughter that erupted from him.

"Oh no, Lucy, please, you're a part of the family, no need for the formalities." Arman assured her, holding out a hand for her and when she gripped it, he lifted her back to her feet completely. "Perhaps we can figure out what's going on, if any of my children would be willing to step away from the tension building between my oldest and Wendy."

"I can answer that dad." Kaleb stated, moving to stand beside him.

"Please do, because Bix looks like he's about ready to slam his head into the closest hard surface. Which might be Gajeel." Arman mused, sliding his hands into his pockets to rock back on his heels.

"Well, it started with Erik and I. Bix was present when Erik and I met for the first time, and when that happened, Erik's dragon half let it be known immediately that I'm his mate. Since then, we're not entirely sure how it happens, but Bix has been present every single time one of the slayers met one of the siblings. I think it was around the fourth time it happened that he started with the facepalming."

"Really? There is something funny about that, I'll admit, but why is he doing it now?" Arman asked.

"Dad...think about what I just told you...then think about what you know of the Fairy Tail slayers." With that Kaleb walked off and after collecting Erik, led him away to get some food.

Watching them leave, Arman blinked in confusion before turning back to his other gathered children, who were now watching Bix slam his head into the closest hard surface...which just happened to be Gajeels iron coated shoulder, before he was able to put the pieces together.

Jaw dropping, his gaze swung back to Farron only to find that Wendy was now standing before him with a small smile, gazing up at him, and his son appeared transfixed. Biting back a laugh, he lifted a hand to the orchestra providing music and soon enough a song was encouraging people to start dancing. Looking back to his son and Wendy, he was glad to see that he was leading her away to the main part of the room where the dancing was taking place.

Smiling, Arman held a hand out to Lucy. "Lady Heartfilia, may I ask for this dance?"

Lucys face lit up, she'd been feeling more than a little left out, Wendy being the only single friend she had with her and now….well…Holy hell. Dropping a well-practiced curtsy she took Armans hand. "I would be honored your highness!"

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She was so nervous. When she had been invited to go along she had jumped at the chance to do some traveling, but now, dressed in a nicer dress than she had ever worn before and waiting to be announced, her nerves were tying themselves in knots. She stood next to Lucy and watched as each of the other slayers with their mates made their way into the ballroom after being announced, and as they eased closer to the doors, she became increasingly aware of a smell that was almost buried under all of the other smells mixing in the ballroom.

It was making her far more aware of things, and her dragon was becoming downright twitchy, pushing against her mentally, straining to get into the room before them to find the smell. It reminded her so much of a cool ocean breeze, carrying a hint of coconut and warm sand.

Something about it just made her want to cover herself in the smell, but first she had to get into the bloody room!

Finally she and Lucy were announced, and as they paused on the threshold before continuing on, her eyes were already moving, scanning, trying to pin point where that faint smell was coming from. Following Lucy's lead, they joined the rest of the Pradesh siblings who had gathered as a group nearby. Keeping an eye out on the crowd around her, she was able to stifle the giggle that wanted to escape her when she overheard Cristoff catch Natsu before he could bound off to start gorging on food, promising him plenty of things to eat later if he behaved. The enthusiastic nod Natsu gave had her smirking.

Wendy wasn't dumb. She was fully aware of the lifestyle that a few of the dragons in the group had. She knew from overheard whispers and sounds coming from storage closets and offices, her fellow slayers were very into their mates. Vander and Ryos were downright shocking at times, Vander just had no filter, no shyness and zero modesty, and saw no reason to hide anything from Wendy or anyone else for that matter.

When he'd sat with Gajeel again and they had played guitar one evening at their table in the guild hall and he'd sung, Ryos had slid up behind him and held him. When they finished the song, Vander had grabbed Rogues hand and announced he was needing some air.

Wendy had been heading to the herb garden Mira kept behind the guild hall to clip some catnip for a drink for Carla and had accidentally come across Vander pressed back against the bathhouse wall partially hidden by the garden, Rogue on his knees in front of him gripping his thighs, sucking on Vanders cock.

She'd been unable to look away, both men were attractive, handsome, and she'd been so happy for Rogue when he had claimed Vander. Watching them together, Rogues face so full of pleasure, Vanders head tipped back, eyes closed, teeth bared in a silent snarl. Vanders top was gone, Rogue reaching up dragging his nails down the mans chest until his hand slid back to grip his ass.

Pure deep passion and pleasure, and knowing how much they meant to each other made it just...beautiful to see. The sounds they made too, Vander moaning and hissing a breath between his clenched teeth, Rogue letting out a sultry purr smiling faintly as he continued his attentions on his mates body. It was all also arousing and a little embarrassing, she blushed crimson, snatching up some catnip and hurrying away silently, unaware of Vanders wine colored eyes catching her departure before closing again.

Wendy knew nothing about it all, sex was something she hadn't experienced yet, Xally and Emzadi had both been contemplating getting a Sudehpah for her, so she could cut her teeth on someone experienced and when she met her mate she'd be better prepared but the whole idea had flustered Wendy.

She wasn't sure what sort of mate she would have one day, but she'd wanted one for a while now, watching Xally with Sting, Emzadi with Laxus, she wanted to be looked at that way, held that way, and because Xally and Emzadi were Boscan women, they weren't shy about answering questions.

Or about flirting with their mates. Xally loved getting Sting, who usually could because he was just a bold brazen man, outdo her in the flirting, she would get him now and then and leave him just stammering and red faced and following her or a couple of times tossing her over his shoulder and dragging her away for privacy.

Being slayers, they tended to be privy to each others personal information whether they wanted to be or not. They also had a moral code that would put most codes to absolute shame. It was then that she noticed the smell was getting stronger.

Turning slowly in place, she ran her gaze over the crowd, ignoring the hopeful looks she was getting from multiple men in the audience, until finally her gaze landed on-she gulped hard at the sight. A tall man, with shoulder length mahogany colored hair, picked with natural golds, reds and coppers, vivid baby blue eyes, a firm jaw, and breath taking smile had stolen her voice, stolen her breath as he conversed with Erik and Kaleb. He was elegant, moved with an easy grace and the black suit he wore, sashed with the colors of the Kingdoms flag was flawlessly tailored to him.

He was young, but maturity had taken away all boyish traces, all adult, tall, broad shouldered, trim waisted, handsome…delectable…male.

She was so focused on the man that she didn't see the confused looks she was getting from the others in her group, or the surprised looks she received from Erik and Kaleb. She didn't even feel the low growl that escaped her as she slowly started towards him, causing each dragon slayer in their group to freeze in shock. The group over all had heard and seen Wendy in many moods over the years, but never had they experienced this particular sound from her. She was no longer aware of the conversations going on around her, instead her gaze was just on the man who's gaze had finally found hers, awareness making his eyes darker.

She growled again, a little louder this time, and she was oddly pleased when she saw him shudder in response, heat beginning to fill his gaze as he swept them down and over her. Reaching him, she tipped her head back, her growls turning into an alluring purr that had him swallowing hard as the sound rippled across him. Catching the same scent that had caught her attention from before clinging to him like a second skin, her purrs increased.

And when he held a hand out to her in a silent request for a dance, she didn't think twice about accepting it. The feel of his skin against hers for the first time pulled a low moan from her as everything snapped into place, her dragon repeating one word in a constant satisfied purr.

Miiiinnnnneeeee...my mate...

There was a moment of high alarm that hit her when he led her onto the dance floor. She had no idea how to dance. She could manage club style fun just fine, loved going with the women from the guild every chance she got, but in a ball room?

"I…I don't know how to dance like this…" She admitted quietly, blushing, embarrassed. Gods, here was her mate, almost every young woman in the room was capable of this, and that realization had her teeth locking together, they were all staring at him, there was hope, dreamy smiles, and some pure lust on those faces. Any one of them would have gladly tossed Wendy out a window for the chance to be in her shoes.

So she had her mate, and he was…perfect, better than that…Gods help her she'd thought Vander was hot when she'd met him but this man, there was this calm certainty to him. But he wanted to dance…and she didn't know how… and she felt just terrible, and she heard people, talking along the edges of the dance floor.

"Who is she?! She's certainly not nobility that's for sure with that cheap gown!"

"She can't be what, ten? She's barely got enough chest to hold that dress up."

"The Prince must be out of his mind."

"Gods if he wants a flat chest I can give him that." This from a slender man with long dark purple hair glaring daggers at her.

"You don't need to know anything more than to follow my lead…It's fine, ignore them…dance with me." He said and pulled her to him, the feel of his firm thigh against hers made her gasp softly, one of his hands taking her waist the other her hand and seeing Lucy already dancing with the King, Wendy copied how Lucy had herself positioned in the Kings arms and the next thing she knew she was being swept effortlessly through the music.

Farron had two siblings that were Dragon Slayers, and he himself was a sound mage, able to manipulate and use sound, so nothing escaped him. He heard what Wendy did, saw his family members and their spouses bristling as they heard the comments too. It was typical of these high society functions, one of the reasons he hadn't been certain that seeing his family together again at this event was such a great idea, yes, they had all dealt with these things all their lives, but their spouses hadn't, and high society could be…jarring, aggravating…cruel.

He wanted to enjoy this, Wendy was beautiful, her deep brown eyes, shining blue hair. He'd never look at someone young like her under normal circumstances, if he had to guess he'd put her around 17 or 18 at the most, definitely old enough, but usually he tried to leave the debutantes to their own age group no matter how many young noble born women vied for his attention.

She, however, was a Dragon Slayer, and…if he read what had just happened, and if the damn near bone deep jolt he'd felt when he'd taken her hand was any indication…there was something between them. Something he, age difference or not, was very interested in pursuing. He at least wanted to know what had happened, who she was exactly, where she had come from…her hopes for the future that somehow, in spite of himself, he found he wanted to be a part of.

"Seriously?! No!…No way, one of my daughters or I are landing that man not some snot nosed brat barely into puberty!" A whispered snarl reached them, and just on a particular turn, they both saw a woman glaring daggers with a fabric fan cooling herself, even as she was surrounded by four younger women who looked like younger versions of herself.

Farron stiffened when he saw her, he knew who she was too, a widowed Baroness from Minstrel, here with her 4 daughters. She had been beyond forward with him at a couple of functions now, suggesting things that even he, as a man of Boscan heritage and upbringing, really wouldn't consider. She wanted him to marry one of her daughters and keep her as a mistress, or even marry one and keep all of them.

Possible? Yes.

Desirable? Hell no.

He felt Wendy stiffen and on his next turn saw Kaleb nod his head toward a balcony and took the opportunity, Erik, Gajeel, Bickslow and the others instantly closing ranks once he'd swept Wendy past them outside.

"I'm…" Wendy was breathing hard, fury wrestling with embarrassment and humiliation. Farron glanced back and saw his brothers weren't having a problem keeping even the damned Baroness at bay, in fact, Erik was standing in front of the woman looking down on her menacingly.

"Lady, you take one more step and your shoes are going to be toeless along with the rest of you." He sneered and the Baroness looked at him horrified. She couldn't say or do much of anything, Kaleb was the Kings son, so were Bickslow, Cristoff and Vander. She was standing looking at the royal family that had just bared her, and everyone else, from following the Crown Prince and the blue haired brat he'd been dancing with out onto the balcony behind them.

"I…well…his highness had promised one of my daughters…" She began.

"Nothing, he promised you absolutely nothing and he didn't promise any one of your daughters anything either, now go Baroness, this is a charity ball, not open season on my brother." Kaleb cut her off and the woman blanched but backed away and stormed off across the hall, her glaring daughters close behind her.

"Holy shit…did that cow ever chase after you?" Erik asked looking at his mate and getting his answer in a memory he immediately wished he hadn't seen placed into his head by his mate. He curled a lip, looking after the Baroness. "I think I may need to revisit some of my darker days with her…" He growled.

Kaleb smiled at him. "No…no need, she's annoying but harmless."

Wendy was holding the railing of the balcony, mind racing, heart racing, she felt almost ill. "I…you're my mate…my...mate and I…" She looked past him, watching the woman who had said that horrible thing get chased off by Cobra and Kaleb.

"I wondered if that was what all of that before meant…" Farron was smiling and for the life of her Wendy didn't know why he would be.

Half the people in that ballroom thought she was a pubescent teenager, and she sort of was, she was almost 19, just a couple of months away from that, so technically a teenager, but still, Lucy said she was an adult, legally she had been able to drink since she was 16, her chest was still developing…she hoped anyway…Porlyusica said no but she could hope…Gods, her mate, she was staring at him, her eyes sliding up and down him, he lacked nothing, was just…perfect, everything any woman would want…more than she had ever hoped for, her mate was the Crown Prince of Archipelago, a successful 25 year old grown man, handsome and sexy and she was…a snot nosed brat…

Yet he was still smiling, her dragon was pressing, demanding she go to him, wanting to just peel away that suit, drop her gown and press skin to skin, claim him, sink her fangs into him and make him hers.

Farron for his part was just trying to take it in, grasp the reality, he was a Dragon Slayers mate...and she was beautiful, sweet, had soft eyes and young or not, she made his blood boil in his veins and made him wish he'd worn thicker slacks with his suit, the silk he was in wasn't doing a good job of hiding his excitement, thank the Gods for his jacket.

"I'm sorry I'm not…pretty." She whimpered, standing between tears and dragon pushed lust, it wasn't a good feeling at all. This was supposed to be beautiful, romantic…

Farron wasn't a mind reader but he heard a heart beating too fast, and saw her desperate eyes filling with tears, a look of frustrated humiliation had him ready to storm into the ballroom and throw everyone out on their damned overdressed asses. And he certainly didn't need to look towards Wendy's self proclaimed kin to know each one was bristling at her words.

"No no…no…Gods Wendy…you're beautiful…" He closed the small space between them, pulled her into him and held her against him, sending her inner dragon into near insanity as she came against a firm chest and her hands spread over the smooth silk of his suit jacket.

"High society…the people are…well…" He sighed "Most of the people you heard have been trying to get me to agree to marry them or their daughters or sons or sisters or brothers for..years now and jealousy is always ugly but you…you're beautiful." He said into the crown of her hair his eyes sliding shut, she felt perfect, warm and not too tall or thin with curves that fit his hands as they slid over her sides to rest on her hips.

"I'm your mate…" He breathed then, voice changing its tone as her words sank further into his thoughts and Wendys whole being came to life. She tilted her head back to look up into sky blue eyes…oh they were…the color of a summer sky framed by thick lashes and they held…heat, hope, excitement.

She nodded "I…" no more words, no more, her hands pushed up from the lapels of his jacket and into the sun kissed mahogany colored hair and pulled and she lunged, pressing her lips against his, awkward and hungry for the contact but having no clue how to make it what she wanted it to be.

Farron on the other hand, feeling her body heat in his arms, smiled into the awkward kiss. So she was young, inexperienced…well..he had more than enough for both of them and teaching these sorts of things certainly wasn't anything less than delightful fun he was happy to explore with her.

"I'm sorry..I've never kissed anyone before…" Wendy was blushing and he caught her chin before she could lower her face away, smiling down at her, leaning close enough their noses brushed against each other.

"I'll assume you've never been kissed by anyone either…" He said in a low voice that sent shivers through her and she shook her head faintly, transfixed by his eyes, his lips, they were softer than she'd expected them to be, had felt so warm and wonderful against her.

"Let's change that…" He purred and Wendys eyes rolled back in her head as his lips slanted over hers, the fingers holding her chin slid lightly across her cheek into her hair and behind her head, the hand at her hip sliding to her back, pressing her firmly against him and she wound her arms around his neck, hands buried in his thick hair.

It was what she'd dreamed, better than any romance novel Erza had shared with her, he sucked her lower lip in between his teeth and nipped at it making her gasp and when her lips parted his tongue slid past them and along hers.

A long satisfied purr trilled up through her as he deepened the kiss, her dragon rolling over inside her overjoyed with the attention their mate was lavishing on them.

"Mine…" Wendy hummed when he pulled back to start kissing her neck, nuzzling into her as she did him, eager to get her lips, her tongue, her teeth on his skin. Farron was about overwhelmed, certainly not a feeling he'd expected with this young woman but her responses, that incredible purring, it was like a drug, hazing his thoughts and setting his body on fire.

"Yours…I'm yours…" He whispered back in mindless agreement, she could have said the sky was green and he'd have agreed with her and shuddered when she purred again against him, deciding he'd do about anything he had to in order to hear her make that noise more. His calm control over himself was just in shreds around her, it staggered him realizing it. He'd do anything, anything she wanted and he'd just met her...

Cobra looked over Gajeels shoulder and exchanged a look with his mate who lifted his eyes and found his father sharing a second dance with a laughing Lucy out on the floor.

 _'Father…Farron is Wendys mate, unless we get them out of here, they may very well consummate that fact on the balcony in a few minutes_.'

He saw his father stiffen and almost stumble as the thought he'd sent into his head hit him.

Swirling Lucy around the King danced his way quickly to his children. Looking past Kaleb who stepped aside just enough to afford him a view of Wendy, who was now wrapped around Farron like a vine, kissing him wildly while he held an arm under her rear and his free hand was massaging the side of her breast as he drank her kisses in.

"Gods above…Vander…get them...dammit...where do I send this?! She's a Dragon Slayer...ok, to the pastures beside the palace, he'll have to...fight? Is that right?" He looked at the Dragon Slayers and Cristoff nodded, smiling warmly at his father

"Yes Dad, he'll have to overpower and dominate her, not something we want the guests watching…" Cristoff said and Emzadi smirked.

"If they would survive being spectators...some of them I'm sure Wendy would turn into collateral damage...I'd help her too…" She growled narrowing her fierce orange eyes at the Baroness who was still glaring their way.

The King nodded. "Very well, I'll handle the excuses…Vander, please hurry, she's...starting to remove his clothes...oh my, such a nice suit it was too." Arman said, wide eyed and Vander snickered but faded back vanishing, and a moment later, so did Farron and Wendy.

Getting pulled into shadows while in the midst of tearing…had she really ripped open his silk suit jacket? Yes…yes she had…his shirt too, but when her hands had reached warm skin, fingers tracing over the hard lines of defined muscle, she really didn't give a damn about anything but getting more of his skin bared for her eager hands, tongue and teeth.

It was disorienting, or would have been if she'd known up from down in the first place when it happened, she was wrapped around Farron, had almost climbed his body like a tree. His arm coming under her ass to hold her up while she bent over him hands tangled in his soft dark hair pulling and holding his head back so she could devour his mouth, face, neck and feeling the firm work of the fingers of his other hand massaging the side of her breast had Wendy in a frenzy of need.

At least she was, until pitch darkness and icy cold flooded them, she cried out but the sound was lost in the void and she clung to the warmth of Farrons body, it was, for a few moments, the only thing that existed other than a firm hand on her back that was pushing her harder into Farrons bare chest.

It only lasted for a few minutes and then warm air rushed over them and Farron was snapping his head to the side.

"Not exactly graceful Vander." He said, eyes closing as Wendy shifted in his arms, pressing against him and sliding down his body.

"Yeah? Well it was that or try to keep all the guests and the press from watching and filming you two fuck on the balcony, now THAT would have been "graceful" right?" Vander snickered, grinning defiantly at his now frowning oldest brother.

Wendy narrowed her eyes, her dragon knew the other male was mated, even acknowledged he was family to their unclaimed mate, but it didn't change the fact Farron was unclaimed and she was a Dragon, an unclaimed mate was vulnerable, something to fight and kill for, and she needed to dominate him, own him, possess him. If he could beat her in combat, dominate her before she could do so to him, then he would be her mate, her equal partner for all time, if she dominated him, she would simply use him, take his body, literally fuck him into the ground and keep him as a plaything until he was dead. Her dragon would find another stronger male for her mate if that happened, or make her go rogue and start stealing other Dragon females mates. She would still be able to become a brood mother that way.

"Get out of the way." She snarled and Vander faced her, narrowing his eyes, seeing the pink stealing the brown from her eyes, the lavender overtaking the blue in her hair.

"Come to me Farron...my mate...I need you…" She breathed and Vanders eyes widened when his brother started toward her without hesitation.

"No! Farron, remember Emzadi? Remember she killed her first boyfriend, killed the fire mage 2 years ago that tried to claim her! You have to dominate her, pin her, take her! If she pins you and takes you...you'll die…" Vander said in a rush, keeping his brother back.

"Get out of the way Vander, step between me and my mate again and I'll tear your throat out…" Wendy snarled.

Farron shook his head, trying to clear the dragon lust from his head, get his eyes to focus, his mind working. Emzadi...Nurem had taught them… he remembered.

"Love you both…" Vander smirked and grabbed his brother, vanishing as Wendy lunged and screamed.

He reappeared at the far side of the pasture, noting the horses had high tailed their asses back by the barns, wanting nothing to do with a hormone dripping apex predator in heat.

"Fuck….I have to...shit...Van she's never been with a man before...I can't…I'll hurt her!" He breathed out, eyes already locked on Wendy as the winds picked up and she walked swiftly toward them.

"She's a dragonslayer Farron, her body will be fine, she's built for this….if you don't, you'll fucking DIE, she'll kill you, just like Emi killed Jaxon." He reminded him.

Farron shoved his hand through his hair, all he wanted to do was run to her, Gods give her

anything she asked, but he knew Vander was right, knew what he had to do.

"You're mine Farron, mate or plaything…" Wendy called cresting a rise about 50 yards away.

"Wendy, I will claim you, I will be your mate, your equal, pin you down and have you before I let you take and claim me!" He called back, Vander grinning and nodding in encouragement, grateful his brother was at least in partial possession of his mind still, though he was a hell of a sight, hair torn out of its tie blowing around his shoulders, suit jacket and shirt ripped open.

"You'll want less clothes to fight with big brother…" He said and Farron nodded distractedly not looking at him, shrugging out of his ruined jacket and shirt, tossing them to the grass along with his belt.

"Then you'd best fight well, I won't just give you the place at my side, you'll have to take it." She returned.

Farron narrowed his eyes. "Then I'll fucking take it…" He growled and Vander smirked, now THIS was his oldest brother.

Farrons magic surged and Vander saw Wendy stagger as it hit her. He'd fought Farron before, gotten his ass kicked too, Farron was strong, and so disciplined and precise, fighting him was something even Kaleb struggled with and Kaleb could mess with Farrons damn mind.

Wind hit hard and Vander was slammed to the ground but Farron dodged it, moving too fast and Wendy couldn't hear him, couldn't get her own eyes to focus as he echoed the sounds of the winds she was moving and amplified it back on her making her ears sting painfully to the point she kept staggering.

Before she could regain her equilibrium he was on her, and had tackled her to the ground, her skirts torn apart, bodice ripped open before a strong hand pinned hers over her head and she hissed feeling another hand slide between her legs, suddenly making her whole body seize with pleasure.

He had to make sure she was at least somewhat ready, and she was, dripping and heated and dear Gods she smelled amazing, her growls and snarls making his body ache, his pants far too tight on him as he slid between her legs, keeping her distracted with the reverberating sounds and pitching up he was doing with her own winds.

He freed himself, gritting his teeth as she hissed and pressed up into him. "Take me….take me so we can be together…" Wendy gasped out snarling and baring long white fangs as he pressed into her. He was going to go easy, slow, careful but Wendy slammed her feet down and thrust up into him and he groaned as she took him in and made a keening noise as he tore through her maidenhead but even then she wouldn't hold still, wouldn't let him stop moving, legs clamping down on him as she ground against him wildly.

"My mate….ahh!..." Wendy gasped out, whimpering as he finally got some semblance of control back and slowed her down, took stock of her hair going blue again, her eyes turning back into the soft, gentle shy dark brown. He released her hands and she wrapped her arms around him and clung to him and he nuzzled into her neck, humming like he'd seen Cristoff do soothing Emi a few times and it worked, she was kissing him, tears running down her cheeks and he frowned, wiping them away with gentle fingers.

"Can we slow down now love? Are we still fighting?" He asked and she shook her head.

"No...I yield, my dragon's given control back to me….I'm so sorry…" She breathed and he shook his head.

"You are a perfect Dragoness…" He smiled down at her, rolling his hips and making her gasp again. His eyes darkened and he bent down, kissing over her face to her neck. "We shouldn't stay outside…" He breathed, struggling now to think again, he was still buried inside her, and his whole being wanted to take up a firm pace, work her into a frenzy, he knew he could, she was primed for it, but they were laying in wet grass in a horse pasture, anyone could see them out here..

"Gotcha…" His brothers voice came and Icy darkness consumed them again for a few minutes then they were on a hard marble floor and Farron drew a careful breath.

Vander had brought them directly into Farrons bedroom.

He gave Vander a look and his brother chuckled, raising his hands and stepping back, vanishing to no doubt return to his mate. He'd need to find some way to thank Ryos for being as patient as a saint, he HAD to be with Vanders wickedness as a mate.

Returning his attention to Wendy he drew another slow breath, Gods she was beautiful, all that shining deep blue hair, she was staring at him, just transfixed by the look of him and he didn't mind that, was trying to figure out just what to do next, deciding when she started to cry again.

"Wendy…Wendy." He soothed softly, she needed to break out of the worried lip chewing anxiousness he saw.

She shook her head. "I…Farron..I'm so sorry I…I ripped your clothes, jumped on you in public like a wild animal…threatened you, made you...do all of this...I'm so embarrassed." She said raggedly.

He got it then, she wasn't frightened at all for herself, not even about what she wanted to do with him, she was worried about him, what he was thinking. He glanced down, Gods they were a mess, her dress in tatters, half his suit out in the pasture somewhere his pants halfway down his ass, barely moved enough so he could get himself free and into her.

He shook his head at her, his hair falling over his shoulders and he smirked, leaning in close, nuzzling her, pressing kisses to her nose and cheeks and finally sealing his lips over hers and kissing her long and hard before pulling away, carefully easing from her body and pulling her to her feet, letting her cling to the thick post at the foot of his bed while he let the last of his clothes fall to his feet.

The action made Wendys nervous movements stop and a growl come out of her as her nails came up to rake over his bare skin, down the symbols that coiled through it from his shoulder down his right side to midway down his right thigh. A black eagle on the wing on his right shoulder, with swirling patterns, symbols around it, another eagle again, this one with wings folded in standing on taloned feet right over the ridges of his abs and she saw one on the wing above his right hip. Her eyes unable to stay there though, fixed then on what lay between his legs still rigid and ready for her.

"I don't care about the clothes Wendy, and I kissed you the second time, and picked you up and held you, whatever has to be done….Gods...are you sure I didn't hurt you out there?...I tried to be…. not like you had me pinned to the floor or something." He stated, shoving a hand through his hair and she drew a breath, the mental image that brought her had the dragon in here screaming for exactly that.

She couldn't tear her eyes off his body. She'd seen male bodies, hell Gray was naked more than half the time at the guild, but this was different.

She wasn't healing, and this wasn't Gray, this was Farron…her mate, and she wanted him, was desperate for him, but she'd already half attacked the man right out in the open with hundreds of noble born people around, forced him into a crazy fight in a field! But dear Gods and Mavis there he stood, naked and just...glorious, even the scrapes and dirt on his skin from them wrestling in the pasture just added to his appeal and he was worried he'd hurt her?!

She was so afraid she would just tear him apart...her dragons intention had been to have him down there, to either kill him or take him by force, that he'd beaten her so fast made her heart race and her dragon wanted him more was violent inside of her.

Her dragon was beyond ready, crouched inside of her, ready the moment she dropped any part of her will it would take over and tear into Farron again. She wasn't a male dragon slayer, females were different, more aggressive, savage when they took their mates. She'd seen Laxus after he had mated with Emzadi, Cristoff had been called over to Laxus' to see to some not so minor injuries but then, Laxus was a Dragon Slayer himself so tougher than most.

Farron was a Prince, and while he was also a mage and she could plainly see he was…dear Gods she could feel it, pressed against her, he was gloriously heavy… one that kept his body in peak condition, she didn't want to hurt him, and was struggling to contain the dragon inside of her again, a dragon that wanted to lay its claim on their mate. He had proven himself, pinned her, dominated her and done it fast.

Her eyes kept dragging over the tattoo that ran down his right side, wondering how far it went, wanting to run her fingers over those symbols.

"My mother was clanborn, Boscan, born on the Grass Sea itself, I'm tattooed with the clans symbols and patron animal, a black Boscan Sea Eagle." He explained when he saw how her eyes were lingering there.

"Wendy…if I'm your mate..."

"You ARE my mate." Wendy cut him off, her voice a growl that sent a ripple of lust through him that made his breath catch but he narrowed his eyes and went on.

"…Then claim me…now…I want you to…need you to." He let his voice drop, sensing his husky tone would affect her and it did, her eyes shifted, going from brown to pink, her blue hair starting to shimmer into a pale lavender again.

He'd seen that…seen Emzadi do it, Cristoff, when he went Dragon force only his eyes changed

and there would be dark blue scales that would pop up through his skin, but Emzadi, her hair would streak a radiant platinum and deep golds and her eyes would swirl red and molten gold.

The female slayers always flooded further into draconic power than the males did, they were deadlier, more powerful, like real dragon females were bigger and deadlier than the males were.

"…Don't…want to hurt you…" she hissed, more blue hair turning lavender.

He was breathing harder, his whole body flaring to life, senses on high alert, he heard her heart slow, even out, heard the rumbling purr, felt it in the air.

"You won't…and if you do…you can heal me…" He pointed out. "I want you Wendy…I want to be yours…claim me…" He purred the last out, knowing it was unfair to taunt her, but he also knew there were dozens of families in that ballroom bent on having him marry someone in their family. He'd seen a royal messenger from Bosco arrive, knew his father had postponed receiving him until after the ball and suspected the King of Bosco, who Archipelago was heavily entwined with, used to be a part of until this King had granted Archipelago its sovereignty again only 2 generations ago.

Farrons great great grandfather had only been a stewart of Archipelago, it had, until his Great Grandfather, been part of Bosco for nearly 200 years after falling because of something to the "Blood Queen" of Bosco that had ruled back then. She had been horrifically ambitious and Archipelago, Desierto, Stella and Seven had all fallen to Bosco during her reign.

His father kept relations with Bosco fluid and was good friends with its king, but the Kings eldest daughter, first in line for the throne, had fought in too many Clan wars, led armies too long, she had grown harsh and determined to have a strong iron willed man at her side she used the old law Bosco had that gave a person the right to insist on sex before marriage to assure full compatibility, except in her case, she compelled men to accept her advances because of political backlash from the Crown if they refused her.

Kaleb, Cristoff, even Vander had been pulled into her bed as lower ranked princes of Archipelago. As the Crown Prince, Farron had so far escaped her efforts, but he was wondering if that had changed…if it had, the sooner Wendy made him hers, the better.

At his words, that low smooth purring tone "…claim me…" Wendys will shattered and her dragon seized her. She shrugged out of the remnants of the dress she wore and flew into him, gripping a fistful of silken dark hair and wrenching him to her for a bruising kiss that had him staggering.

Getting her feet to the floor she overpowered him, using his sheer surprise against him and shoving him hard so he fell back onto the bed behind him and she leaped on him, Wendy, who had become somewhat of a passenger to this as her dragon controlled her actions was staggered by the view of her mates naked body.

To his credit Farron didn't just lay back, he caught her, tore the bra from her chest and tossed it aside while she was busy with her wide eyed staring and when she turned back to him he lunged and sealed his mouth over the peak of one of her breasts palming the other.

She groaned, the sensation of his teeth scraping over her nipple making her arch her back and press into him but it only side tracked her dragon for a few minutes, she was grinding into Farron, his hardened length being drug up and down her soaked center as she moved, sending shudders through the man until when she pushed in hard he gasped.

The moment his mouth left that breast her dragon shoved him back down and captured his mouth, plunging her tongue past his lips and tangling their tongues together as she grasped his erection, rubbing herself on him and dragging a strangled moan from him, he threw his head back at the feeling and she positioned herself and thrust downward just as his eyes flew open and he tried to grasp her hips and slow her.

He knew this whole thing was new, and while he'd already been inside her once that didn't mean she should be acting like a seasoned woman, impaling herself on him, he wasn't a small man, and didn't want her hurting herself in her wild abandon but her dragon wasn't going to be denied. She meant to claim her mate and she meant to do so now, hard and rough and fast.

As she sank she grabbed his wrists and slammed his hands back on the bed bearing down in a hard thrust that had him pressing his feet into the mattress, unwillingly thrusting upward to meet her, to get through the intense tightness of her unprepared center.

The pain was intense, burning and tearing as her body stretched to accommodate him, he wasn't small, few Boscan blooded men were, and in her still new channel, he felt immense.

"Nngh!..Fu…fuck…Wendy…Gods…" He gasped out as she lifted herself up only to slam back down on him again and his eyes slammed shut, hands clenched to fists as he hissed a breath through his teeth.

"So…tight…Wen…Wendy…Nnngh!" He was trying to get her to slow, too move easier, honestly only concerned for her because sweet Gods and Godesses he had never in his life felt anything as amazing as her body, searing hot and wet clamping down all around him like a vice, pulsing as she moved because her inner walls were still trying to adjust to his substantial size.

Wendy released his wrists, placing her hands on the headboard above him and gripping it for leverage as she started up a brutal pace.

"Mine…you will be mine!" She snarled at him, eyes locked on his until she slammed down once so hard his eyes closed and he threw his head back gasping to recover the wind she'd pushed out of him.

She rode him hard, rough and relentlessly, the pain subsiding and turning to pleasure as he gave up trying to slow her and just went with her, meeting her thrusts, palming her breasts then reaching down and pressing his finger into her bud of nerves above where he entered her.

She about saw stars. Groaning loudly she ground against him every time she came down, swirling her hips as she went up and Farron was clenching his teeth trying to hold himself together.

"Cum for me…my mate, cum so I can mark you…so I can cum…" Her dragon purred and Farron moaned, lips parted, she watched the muscles of his abdomen and thighs clench as he thrust up into her once more and came undone, spilling his seed into her, she felt it, hot and adding pressure into her channel, filling her deep inside her body, his thick length pulsing and she lunged in long fangs piercing the skin beneath his left ear, his blood flowing into her mouth as hot as his seed within her body, coppery and salty she pushed her magic into him and drank his in as his whole body went rigid, breath catching.

The orgasm lasted minutes but felt longer, tearing both of them apart and robbing them of their bones it felt like. Wendy collapsing forward, purring as she licked the bite until it stopped bleeding, Farrons arms winding slowly around her.

"G-Gods…tell me that was it and not…just preparing me…" He panted and she smiled, barely able to push herself up to look down into his smiling handsome face. This was it, he was it, her mate, the man she would be with for the rest of her life, whose soul was now twining with hers, whose body she had just claimed, taken thoroughly too.

All the things she had seen and heard the others do with their mates she would do with Farron, he was hers to love, to cherish, to build a life with and protect. She was overjoyed.

Her dragon preened inside of her, satisfied with his hard breathing, and sated, dazed expression.

"You're mine now…forever…" She purred and he smiled, pulling her to him for a long but this time gentle and languid kiss.

"Yours…and you are mine…Wendy Marvell…I will make you a Queen in every sense of the word…" He breathed.

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He was going to end up with a concussion, he was certain of it.

Letting out a sigh, he looked at his gathered family, back in his home land, and honestly felt happy. Admittedly his head ached slightly from slamming it into the iron shoulder of his dragon slayer mate, but it was worth it. It was the day after the charity ball that each sibling and their spouse had been called back for, and the family was gathered in the smallish by castle standards, informal dining room for brunch. It had been a late night, and so many of them had slept in, but around eleven in the morning they had been summoned.

And so they were gathered, the long table filled to bursting with two seats to the right of Arman at the head of the table and one to the left, with Lucy next to him, still empty. Bix couldn't help but smirk slightly seeing that. He had been quick to grab a trio of chairs, pulling out one for Levy to quickly drop into, while Bix and Gajeel settled on either side of her. Chairs were quickly filled as the mated couples arrived, exchanging idle chatter, insults, and laughter.

Watching over all of it, Arman could only smile, Lucy doing the same at his left. He had not wanted her to feel alone in the sea of couples sitting at the table, and had purposely placed her next to him to keep her company.

Platters of steaming food were placed down the middle of the table, piled high with the basic staples, and enough to satisfy even a dragon slayers appetite. Mountains of eggs, bacon, and sausage; stacks of pancakes, french toast; bowls of fried potatoes and fruit were broken up with pitchers of juice, milk, and water, and carafes of coffee. Even a white bottle and small vase of beautiful flowers had been placed down next to Erik.

Bix watched curiously as Erik picked up the bottle, blinking at in shock before grinning and twisting the cap off to take a long drink. Smiling himself, Bix realized it had to be some form of poison, and when he then reached for and shoved one of the flowers from the small vase into his mouth, it didn't take a genius to realize that the flowers were poisonous as well.

Arman had really gone all out to make sure everyone was comfortable.

Hearing the low groan of the dining room door being swung open, everyone was quick to see the latest arrivals, knowing smirks turning into lecherous grins as Wendy stumbled into the room, flushing brightly, with Farron close on her heels.

The dark mark stood out vividly on Farrons neck under his left ear, clearly seen by everyone since Farrons' hair was pulled back. Seeing it, Bix let out a shout of triumph and spun to face Cristoff who was for once doing his own facepalming with a groan.

"HA! Pay up moony! I KNEW she wouldn't waste any time!" Bix crowed, pointing a finger and cackling.

"Actually..." Farron broke in with a small smile, stepping up beside Wendy to run a soothing hand over her shoulder, enjoying the bright flush on her face. "I was the one to tell her not to wait. I initiated the fight." Farron clarified, smirking at the dropped jaws around the table.

Pressing against her lower back gently, Farron led her to the chairs next to Arman, pulling one out for her to sit in, before taking his place between her and his father.

She was still flushing, and had her head ducked in embarrassment.

"Sir, I-I am so sorry for any problems I may have caused last night by-" Wendy started quietly, only to be quickly cut off.

"Don't even think of apologizing my dear, you found your mate. And seeing as how you've

marked my son already, you need to know that there are going to be some responsibilities." Arman interrupted firmly, still with a small smile.

"I'm aware sir. Farron spent part of the morning explaining things to me, and while it'll take some adjusting, I do understand, and can only say that I'll do my best for him, you, and the kingdom." Wendy stated, sitting up and confidence radiating from her.

"First matter of business, stop with the sir stuff, you're making me feel old, AND you're officially my daughter-in-law, I'll be hurt if you call me by anything but Dad now." Arman playfully pouted, grinning when Wendy giggled and nodded happily.

Hearing a slight choking sound coming from further down the table, Arman shot Erik and Kaleb warning glares, meeting their own shocked gazes and open mouths. He knew they had heard the next order of business, and they could deal.

"Second matter of business," Arman started, turning back to his eldest son and new young mate. "I know you just found each other, and normally, or with anyone else, I would wait a little while at least, but seeing as how you've already claimed and marked him as yours, my dear, I'm going to make a suggestion." Arman continued, meeting Wendy's curious brown gaze directly.

"What would that be?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Because of how sought after Farron is, and how, well, obvious his interest was in you last night, many, many eligible men and women will be trying harder to gain his attention, and get him away from you." Arman raised a hand quickly when he saw her face twist into a snarl, and the growl that escaped her had everyone at the table stiffening.

"I am constantly throwing away marriage offers from many people, and families, but I had agreed with Farron long ago that I would never push him into an arranged marriage. I was lucky in having love when I was married, I wasn't about to force his hand into something so permanent with someone if he didn't love them or was not loved in return. There is a messenger here from Bosco and I am told by attendants of said messenger he bears a rather...um...strongly encouraged marriage offer from Altiene, the King of Bosco for Farron to marry his eldest daughter Kurino... Seeing as how you're both now mated, and I know what the bond entails, I advise that something be done immediately, and announced." Arman paused before continuing.

"I'm not saying people won't continue to try, at least in other kingdoms, and while they may respect it, and keep their distance, they will say what they want, only because they do not understand what you and my son have."

"Bloody hell old man, just say it!" Erik snarled, stabbing a piece of sausage and bringing it to his mouth to chomp down on it. Getting a lifted, reproachful brow in return from both Arman and his mate, Erik hunched his shoulders, dropping his head and huffing.

"That being said, while you would have the main limelight, due to the importance of it, and getting everyone else off his tail, I would advise you and Farron get married. Tonight. The advice is being extended to each couple here, who have not yet married. There would be some photos taken afterwards, an announcement would be sent to the press and the ceremonies would have to be followed, but, aside from Bickslow, Gajeel, and Levy, the sooner each of you marry, the sooner it can be announced, and the more protection each of you will have." Arman stated firmly.

To say that a needle could be heard falling against the marble floor would have been accurate in that moment.

Down the table, watching his siblings gape in various levels of shock, Bix couldn't help but think back over each time he had been there to see his siblings claim, or be claimed by the slayers of Fairy Tail. Every mating had been a surprise, some jarring, some shocking. None had gone perfectly smooth and sweet but here they all were...well, almost all, he thought, with a faint frown.

The feeling of something soft and slightly damp brought Bix back to the present and as he blinked, he felt something hit his face, and taking a quick glance around, he found Erik and Kaleb staring straight at him with knowing, and rare, soft smiles as Erik threw another small piece of egg at him from the platter in front of him. Grinning, Bix was quick to open his mouth and catch the piece of egg, trusting it wasn't poisoned.

"Of course not, Arman gave me this because he didn't want to chance any of it ending up in the rest of the food." Erik scoffed before jerking his head, and turning back to face the head of the table and Arman.

"The other mates would go first, all together, as that ceremony is it a bit simpler than that of the ceremony for marrying a crown prince." Arman was explaining. "As I said before, normally I wouldn't rush this, however the sooner we get it done, the better. I've already made preparations for the ceremonies to take place this evening, but if any of you don't agree, that is fine too."

Glances were exchanged with mates, and looks of consideration were shared with other mates. And one by one, smiles started to spread before as one, they agreed with an excited "Yes."

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Arman took less than an hour to pull everything together, impressing his children, somewhat terrifying a few of them. Cristoff was a knight in high standing, so was Kaleb, so their unions required the aid of priests of the Immaculate light. With a temple on the main island near the Palace, that was actually set up with a single call. Kaleb had already long since put a ring on Erik and vice versa but they hadn't had a ceremony yet, too caught up in everything happening with those around them to have planned it.

Farron, being the Crown Prince also required some extra work, especially considering Arman had finally seen the messenger from the King of Bosco with a formal, very strongly encouraged marriage offer of the Princess Kurino for Farron as the attendants had said.

Arman had sent the messenger back to Bosco on the first airship out with a nicely worded refusal stating Farron was marrying that very day to a young Dragon Slayer from Fiore that had already set the soul bonding mark into him, the last being admitted so the King didn't try to interfere.

He'd been beyond relieved to see that mark on his sons neck too, it would end the rather intense, borderline treasonous demands coming from the nobility regarding wanting to marry into the royal family. Well, the demands aimed at Farron anyway, one son remained...

Sitting at his desk Arman reviewed everything before selecting attendants for the rituals and ceremonies that had to be seen to and heading to the throne room to meet his children and their soon to be husbands and wives.

Everyone was assembled and Arman smiled as attendants moved to the couples and started helping them prepare, going through rings, Arman had the jeweler from the city come bearing most everything he had to offer and had people set up to size whatever was selected so none of his children could balk over something like that. He'd thought of every angle…hopefully. His aids were already doing all of the paperwork so the marriages could be filed immediately with Archipelago and everything legal before the sun set.

He was not leaving room for anything to step between what he wanted for his children.

Since they were the least complicated of the unions he called Sting and Xally, Vander and Ryos, Laxus and Emzadi, forward first.

"The Clans of Bosco forged upon the Grass Sea, a method of unifying a couple, ceremonies to assure equality and honesty and we will honor them here." Arman had begun. They went through the ceremonies one by one, each having it's own moments, with unions about love, monogamy and eternity are forced into words, there are always moments where people trip on them, get lost in them, or inspired.

Arman had loved every moment though. His first adopted son had been Kaleb, snatched away from an orphanage in Stella about to be sold to Joya and their heavily female superior society, he was a beautiful child, had been marked to become a slave but Arman had gotten him. He'd grown, blessed by the Immaculate light, into an incredible young man of strength, integrity and fierce loyalty. That Kaleb had grown into a breathtakingly handsome man with features so flawless Arman had often heard him referred to as the "Unreal looking one." the changes the light had made to his appearance during his induction had made that happen. He'd never forget first seeing Kaleb after his induction, platinum blonde hair instead of dark brown, pale lavender gray eyes instead of the dark purple they had been when he'd gone in.

His union to Erik was deep, it was easy to see and easy to understand. Kaleb was strong, steady, loving, he always had been, and with his skills and magic Eriks tragic past wasn't something that handicapped them, if anything, dealing with it had brought the mates incredibly close to each other. Erik himself was a striking man, handsome in a more rakish way, his scars and single eye just added to that. Magic had changed him too, he'd once had brown hair and brown eyes but, magic had turned his eyes indigo and his hair maroon.

"You have a family now, Erik Pradesh." Kaleb had said, Erik had no last name of his own, so was taking Kalebs. "All of these people are your family now, I…am your family now." He'd said touching his forehead to Eriks who was too overwhelmed to speak, the fact he was struggling with tears was enough, everyone got it.

Then there had been Vander and Rogue, Arman had honestly, in his life he had thought he would go to his grave before Vander would ever settle down. Yet his youngest was content, calm, spoke his vows with confidence, though when the time came for the kiss at the end he'd grabbed Rogues ass and hauled him in, bent him over backwards and kissed the man breathless, making no effort at all to hide him pushing his tongue into the other mans mouth and making him moan wantonly right in front of everyone. A favorite pass time of his.

Emzadi had been, not surprisingly, flamboyantly dressed in a Boscan veil outfit accentuating all of her ample assets and leaving her mate barely able to form words for his parts of the ceremony as his wide blue eyes had strayed to what the sheer veils and thin gold chains dotted with precious gems barely hid.

Seeing Laxus stammering through his vows as Emzadi deliberately tilted herself so her breasts pushed against thin silks and glittering gold chains made Bickslow about break into guffaws in spite of Gajeel and Levy both grabbing him and giving him hard looks...though Gajeel was biting his own lip at the time too.

Xally though had shocked Arman by doing exactly the same thing as her brazen sister, in a deep blue veil dress that had Stings eyes wide throughout the vows. Both couples now eager for their consummations. Arman took wicked delight in making them wait too.

Erik had struggled with the light ceremony, and that hadn't surprised anyone. There was little Kaleb could do but hold him, bear it with him, when the light sealed a couple it purged darkness that lurked within both parties, ensuring the person could serve good. Erik had harbored a great deal of darkness, and both he and Kaleb had emerged from the light panting and exhausted and had to be helped to their chambers to rest.

Natsu didn't fair much better, Cristoff had guessed at that, and the pair had endured as rough a sealing in the light as Erik and Kaleb had. Cristoff emerged, assuring his apologizing mate it was fine.

"I wasn't surprised by it Natsu, it's alright." He'd managed, breathing heavily and pressing a reassuring kiss to the smaller slayers forehead as they had been assisted back to their chambers.

Wendy and Farron were all that remained and the family gathered around them finally as it was nearing evening.

"The Archipelago follows its motherland Bosco in many traditions, our wedding ceremonies empower, celebrate a union with little interest in its composition so much as its substance. We love, we laugh, we celebrate the closeness and pleasure intimacy between souls brings and our people have thrived for thousands of years this way. The union of a Crown Prince to his future Queen is no small thing, and calls for more." Arman said, looking at Farron he nodded and Farron dropped to one knee before Wendy who looked ready to cry.

"Wendy Marvell, already my mate I ask you be my wife, to serve and rule, become a Princess at my side, to share my bed and bear my children, an equal with me for all our lives from this day forward, do you accept?" He asked and she drew a breath.

"I accept." Holding out her hand she watched Farron push the ring onto her finger and felt giddy, light, incredible, it was happening so fast, she'd only found him the day before, barely 24 hours ago she had never even seen him before, and here he was, her mark set in his neck, his ring now on her finger.

The King stepped forward, smiling. "Wendy Marvell, I offer you my son, Farron, Crown Prince of Archipelago, his family, his title, his lands, his life I put in your hands. As Father and King of Archipelago I pledge to you my council and my comfort, protection and safety for you for all of your life, our family is your family from this day forward." He bent over her hand to kiss it and one by one, the Pradesh children all did the same, bringing their spouses with them, who also followed Armans lead and Wendy was left with tears running down her face when Farron stood.

"I send you to your chambers, that you may be certain this union will endure, each of you, kiss your new partners and please follow your assigned attendants to your chambers." He called and the Attendants went to their couples and led them away, leaving Arman standing with a lost looking Lucy, tears glistening unfallen in her eyes.

"Oh my dear, it is such a happiness seeing our friends and family find those they can love and be loved by. I know that look, you're such a beautiful young woman. Your time will come." He assured her.

"Come, lets have dinner, the chef has made an assortment of cakes and desserts for the celebration tomorrow, I say we break into those!" He grinned and Lucy smiled, letting him lead her to the kitchens where they sat and chatted with the chef and his staff and ate some of the most delicious desserts she'd ever had.

Arman had nailed what was getting to her, and she hoped he was right but she in her heart doubted it. When she dreamed the men in her dreams lately were just these wild fantasies. The star had wings…WINGS, and these incredible lips, she spent half her dreams just kissing the man and running her hands over a hard body that felt far too good to be real.

She had been alone, lonely, most of her life and that didn't seem set to change any time soon since all these people, who she loved and cared for were finding their loves and she was left just…alone, always alone.

When Wendy had zeroed in on that handsome Prince it was like something from a fantasy, how had little Wendy, never been kissed never even been on a date, how was it the powers of the Universe saw fit to put that gorgeous, elegant, sexy man right into Wendys arms.

Lucy had watched it happen, he'd just gone right to her and not even 24 hours later Wendy was mated and in the process of probably fucking nothing less than a Prince senseless as they consummated their wedding vows.

She took a large forkful of chocolate cake frowning slightly in frustration. Everyone, every damn person with her here was currently in bed with someone who loved them having hot wonderful sex and she was sitting in a kitchen albeit with a king who was honestly a good looking man for someone old enough to be her father, and a portly chef and his staff eating desserts, drowning in her own loneliness and sexual frustrations in sugar. She was happy for them….but so painfully alone and feeling so terribly isolated and she just ached, painfully, for something she knew wasn't even real, for the angel that haunted her dreams, whose eyes she'd started seeing, purple and gold. Lips hot and soft when they were against hers. Her dreams were x-rated anymore and so vivid in details, feelings, sounds, even smells, he had a scent now branded into her brain.

It had been what…Gods a YEAR since she had last had sex, she was probably getting cobwebs between her legs by now, damp ones because holy fucking hell were there too many gorgeous TAKEN men around this palace. Maybe she should ask the King to send a hot Boscan bath attendant to her room, she knew they did that, Xally and Emzadi had talked about these skilled attendants that could make a woman just melt as they bathed and massaged your body, and happy endings were always part of the deal.

She wasn't sure she wanted to admit to the King though that she was lonely and could use a good orgasm or two.

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The next day dawned bright and clear, the castle was abuzz with excitement as the news from the events of the day before made the rounds, and slowly but surely each new couple stumbled into the same dining room as before, wearing goofy grins as they gathered around Arman standing by the doors leading to the balcony. Lucy stood next to him, smiling softly as she watched her friends appear, being sure to keep the envy she felt locked up tight to keep from spoiling the day.

One by one they gathered, serene smiles curving their lips, fingers laced, arms wrapped around one another.

Arman started with Farron and Wendy. Farron dropping to his knees in front of Wendy smiling up at her as Arman handed her a ring. "Wendy, tradition holds that the final choice is made after the first union of bodies, we believe a marriage should have passion, fire, and a desire that transcends time. You have had Farron, if he has satisfied you, and you accept him as your husband, your partner, your lover for the rest of your life, place the ring on his finger and complete your union to him." Arman said. Wendy blushed but was smiling as she slid the ring onto Farrons finger and he stood and kissed her.

Kaleb knelt before Erik then and Erik was smirking through the brief question from Arman,

 _Well, I mean, you wouldn't let me even fondle you during the ball, there you were in that suit and I had to watch you dance then I didn't even get to cop a feel…_ Eriks voice came into Kalebs head.

 _Erik, I wasn't going to let you show the Baroness what she was missing out on, and we couldn't have a quicky in the damn kitchen…_ Kaleb responded

 _See? I mean, last night was incredible and I gotta admit I've gotten incredibly fond of waking up with your mouth on my cock but you wouldn't let me try the chocolate on you…_

 _Erik the chocolate was melted...it was hot enough to burn…_

 _Kinda the point…_

 _I am NOT...ok...maybe we could try it...Fuck I love your eye...what if I pull your pants down right here right now and suck you off in front of my father?_

Kaleb twice bit his lip and narrowed his eyes before Erik slid the ring on his finger somewhat hastily for some reason giving Arman a wide eyed look and the big blonde stood ripping Erik up off his feet in a fierce hug and rough kiss. Whatever dialogue they had shared during Armans brief speech neither would admit to but everyone had seen something happen.

It set a teasing trend, Rogue ending up being the worst of any of them, holding the ring and looking it over glancing between it and Vander thoughtfully, deliberately making his mate wait on his knees for long minutes before smiling. "Well, he can always improve right?" He said sliding the ring into place, Vander tackling him to the ground. "Improve?! I'll show you fucking improvement!"

His father had prodded him in the leg with a boot a few times before he finally let Rogue up for air.

Soon after the last step of the weddings were taken, the newly married couples were led out onto the balcony where a single woman stood in simple, elegant clothing, a camera in her hands.

"Rayana!" Bix crowed, leaping forward to pull the woman into a tight embrace, lifting her as he spun her around in joy. Laughing, the woman barely got her camera out of the way, her arms winding around Bix's neck as he spun her.

Hearing the silent snarls echo through their bond, Bix was quick to put her down, stepping back to look her over even as he kept an easy smile. He didn't have to look to know that Levy and Gajeel were watching him closely with narrowed eyes.

"Bix, always the charmer, how've you been?" She asked, her low voice smooth caress across the air between them.

"I'm good, really good, met my soulmates, and got married a while back." Bix explained, turning as he dropped one hand, reaching out the other to beckon Gajeel and Levy over. Seeing them come over, her eyes warmed further, appreciating the way the three of them looked together.

"Angel, Babe, this is Ray, we grew up together, she used to live here in the palace, and when she expressed an interest in photography, we helped her make it happen."

Smiling politely, their own smiles warmed when the saw the dull gleam of a gold band on her own finger.

"Congratulations. I married as well, a number of years ago, my wife makes me very happy." Ray stated with a knowing smirk as she watched the tension ease from their shoulders.

"Anyways, what are you doing here?" Bix asked, the rest of his family gathering behind him.

"I called her here. Aside from those who were directly involved with the ceremonies last night, she was the first to be asked here for this part. She'll be taking pictures of each couple individually, then a group picture to be sent out to the media for the announcements. Also to of course be set up around the castle." Arman explained, stepping up beside the woman.

"So soon?" Kaleb asked, his brows furrowed.

"Yes. I wasn't kidding when I stressed the importance of this yesterday. Everyday I'm getting offers of marriage for each of you, and the best way to end that is to make the announcement." Arman explained firmly.

As a group, each couple let out a resigned sigh before nodding. Seeing this, Ray stepped up, and quickly took control of the poses for the best lighting.

"Alright folks, work with me on this, and it'll be painless and over sooner than you think." She snarked, grabbing Bix, Gajeel and Levy first. One by one, she placed them carefully, but efficiently. Levy ended up sitting on the railing, Gajeel and Bixlow flanking her, their arms curled around her back to make sure she wouldn't fall. Their smirks came naturally, as they shifted to keep comfortable even as the next couple, Kaleb and Cobra were pulled over to be situated next to them.

Kaleb was quick to lean against the railing, wrapping his arms around Cobra, pulling the slightly shorter male back against him, and resting his chin on a shoulder. It didn't take a genius to know that this was the only way they were going to be able to keep Cobra still long enough for this.

Surprisingly, Ray brought Farron and Wendy over next, and it didn't take much prompting for them to hop up on the railing with matching grins. Wendy even took it one step further and lifted a hand to bury her fingers into his hair as he turned towards her slightly. Feeling like she wasn't close enough, he lifted her jean short clad legs and carefully turned and pulled her closer, draping her legs over his. Smiling and nodding in acceptance, Ray turned and immediately Vander and Rogue approached her, taking their spot on the other side of Farron and Wendy, leaning back against the railing, elbows braced against the top of it, even as Van lifted on elbow to lightly lean against Rogue.

Turning back to eye the last of the couples, Laxus and Emzadi, Cristoff and Natsu, and Sting and Xally, Ray chewed on her lower lip for a moment before snapping her fingers. She spun back around, and before anyone could say anythingg, she lifted, aimed and captured a natural picture of Gajeel, Bix, and Levy together at the railing before beckoning them away.

Giving her a confused look, Levy hopped down from the railing, her mates hands bracing her back.

"Don't worry, everything is fine, just thought of a better way to set this up." Ray assured them even as she directed Laxus and Emzadi to the spot next to Kaleb and Cobra, and Sting and Xally to the other side of Vander and Rogue. It didn't take much for the couples to shift into a comfortable, yet downright adorable pose for them.

"Alright, now, you three, down here." Ray instructed, nudging them to sit on the ground, Gajeel and Bixlow sitting with their backs pressed to each other, legs drawn up, and arms draped over their knees. Levy was quick to drop down and cross her own legs, leaning back to rest against their shoulders, and her hands reached up to curl over their biceps.

Next to them, Cristoff sat and stretched back on his hands, his legs out stretched, and crossed at the ankles, while Natsu sunk down into his comfortable cross legged position, propping his chin on a fist from where his elbow was braced on his knee. Ray couldn't help but grin as she saw the miles of smiles on everyone's faces, and the dull gleam of multiple pairs of rings that caught the sunlight and glowed among them.

Taking a deep breath, she got to work, snapping multiple pictures, from various angles. After a few minutes of them making slight adjustments, Ray had the couples lean against the railing in a line, backs to fronts, and turned in a way that allowed the marks under each left ear to be clearly seen. Another few moments passed before she had them move into the throne room, having Arman sit in his chair, Farron and Wendy taking the chairs flanking him, before a shift happened once more and Farron sat back in his fathers throne, Wendy cradled sideways in his lap, flushing slightly, with Arman standing to their right, leaning a shoulder against the back of the chair with a smirk.

Grinning, Ray beckoned for the rest of the family to gather around Farron and Wendy, first in a formal manner, and then after that, she gave them the all clear to just start having fun with the pictures as she started capturing any moment she thought was worth it.

The men of the group were quick to sprawl over the steps leading up to the thrones, Farron and Arman included, while Wendy stayed in the chair, being flanked by Emzadi and Xally at her sides, and Levy sitting with a grin at her feet.

Even Ray had no trouble figuring out that this was a subtle, or not so subtle, way of the men showing they would protect the women no matter what. It seemed almost instinctual. And when she asked about it, she received smirks and shrugs as each man exchanged knowing glances before Gajeel spoke up.

"A woman dragon slayer is considered a dragon queen, and when a male slayer takes a mate, whether that woman is a slayer or not, that mate becomes a dragon queen as well. And without them, our lines don't continue. So dragon queens are protected at whatever cost, and that's not saying they're weak, far from it, it's just how things are done with dragons."

Glancing back at his own shrimp with a smile, seeing, feeling, absorbing the love that just pulsed through the bond between them, he turned back to Ray with a smirk that turned rather vicious.

"And should anyone ever decide to take a chance and hurt mates? They don't usually live, long after. It's all based off of instinct for us."

From there, Ray finished up with the last of the pictures, tucking her camera away, she joined them for a late lunch, enjoying the laughter and easy conversation that flowed between all of them.

"Getting back to business momentarily, Ray, I need those pictures printed out as quickly as possible, and out to the local newspapers and magazines. I'll trust that you'll keep the details vague for the time being." Arman stated from his place on the steps to the thrones. They had decided to have a picnic of sorts in the throne room, and plenty of food had been brought in and spread out around them. Letting out a satisfied sigh, Arman leaned back on his elbows, licking his lips clear of the few crumbs still on them.

"Of course. Is there anything in particular that you want included?" Ray asked, lifting a hip to pull a small notebook and pen out of her pocket.

Seeing her do this, Levy blinked for a moment before reaching out to Gajeel who without a word had pulled over the book bag that she had asked to be brought in so she could dig through it for a moment.

"Ahha!" She exclaimed, a large grin on her face as she pulled out a small leather book, and before Ray could say anything, her smaller notebook was plucked from her hands and placed on top of it. Staring, mouth gaping, Ray could only watch as Levy pulled out another pen, and with a few quick swipes, a magic circle appeared above and below the books. Glancing at the others, she could only see that they each wore indulgent smiles as they watched the small blue haired woman.

Another few moments passed before she was handed the small leather bound book, and watched in shock as Levy tossed the original notebook to Natsu who immediately lit his fist on fire, burned it, and then ate the remaining flame. Ray could feel a wave of shock and anger hitting her, but thankfully her imminent explosion was derailed when Kaleb spoke up.

"Don't worry Ray, it's fine. Levy transferred the contents of the original notebook into the small leather one, which she placed protection runes against any harm what so ever on, and on top of it, made it so ONLY you can open that book now. OH, even better, you'll never need to get another notebook again." Kaleb explained with a calm smirk from his place stretched out on the floor, hands tucked under this hands with Cobra sitting beside him. And then they both let out a groan, turning their heads in tandem towards Arman.

"Really? Do we have to?" There was definitely no mistaking that whine, or pout.

"Yes, because it needs to be done." Arman stated firmly, not allowing any room for argument.

"What's going on?" Farron asked from his spot next to his father, Wendy nestled into the cradle of his legs with his arms around her.

"There's one more thing that needs to be done, but won't be able to be done for another week for preparations. I am asking for each of you to stay here for the coronation ball at the end of this week. So that Wendy may be properly crowned princess of this kingdom. The rest of you will also be appropriately crowned." Arman explained, and as they all stared at him in shock, he waved a hand to a hovering attendant, and mere moments later a large explosion echoed high above the castle.

"What the hell was that?" Natsu yelped, jumping slightly, his relit fist almost catching the picnic basket on fire before Cristoff was able to douse it.

"That was the announcement that a member of the royal family has married. It doesn't specify who, but it'll prepare all of the kingdom to get ready for the ball. We're truly going to need to stay here now, to help with extra protection to Wendy and Farron." Cristoff explained with a sigh.

"Fucking dammit." Gajeel cursed, his head falling forward into the palm of his hand.

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The following day at breakfast, the family gathered once more, chatting idly about the additional upcoming ball. It was the usual chatter of going shopping for the women, and while some of the slayers groaned slightly at the thought of having to do more dancing, the rest of the men shrugged and just took it in stride. They knew the importance of the upcoming ball, and the royal family didn't see the point of getting upset about it.

Between Gajeel and Bickslow though, Levy was silent, fiddling with the food on her plate and chewing on her lip as she considered something.

 _'What's the matter love? Why aren't you eating?'_ Bix asked mentally, reaching for another croissant and taking a quick bite of it.

 _'Bix...do the others know yet? About your family?'_ Levy asked in returned, sinking her teeth into her lower lip. The fact that her mates froze on either side of her, as well as the Cobra and Kaleb who were directly across from them, told her the answer.

 _'Uh...no...not that I'm aware of love...it's not something that gets explained until marriage happens...and uh...well...it's not something we like to dwell on exactly...'_ Bix answered, propping his chin in a hand as he focused on Kaleb, darting his gaze to Cobra then the rest of the table and back again. At the subtle shake of his head, Bix sighed. _'No, it would appear that no one else knows.'_

Shifting her gaze to Arman who was at the head of the table, laughing in delight with Wendy and Farron on one side, Lucy and an empty seat on his other, she debated what her next move would be. She had been very careful about not sharing what she had found out when they had come here for their honeymoon, but now that they were married...they deserved to know. Taking a determined breath, she hopped to her feet, and before the others could stop her, she hurried up to tap on Armans shoulder.

Feeling the tap, Arman was quick to turn and smile warmly at Levy, noting as he did so that Gajeel, Bickslow, Kaleb, and Cobra appeared to be a bit tense. Though with the way Cobra and Kaleb were staring at each other, that may have had to do with something else completely.

"Yes m'dear? What is it?"

"May I speak with you for just a moment? Alone?" Levy asked quietly, shifting nervously.

"Of course." Turning back to the others with an easy smile, he pushed back from the table. "We'll be back in a moment everyone, continue to enjoy your breakfast." With that, he and Levy ducked into a side room, closing the door firmly. He smiled in understanding when she lifted her pen and quickly spelled a few silencing runes.

"What is it Levy?"

"I want to tell the others about who you are." Levy stated, cutting to the chase, leaning back against the rooms door.

Letting out a sigh, he moved further into the room, leaning against one of the wing chairs. "I thought that might be what you wanted. If you had asked this before all of you had gotten married, I would've said no, due to the protections. Besides, they all would've gotten confused when they ended up either on the different islands, or in some other part of the castle. BUT because they are now married, they can go." Shifting slightly, he seemed to contemplate what he was going to say next.

"Is there something else Arman?"

"They should probably know...Levy, because Lucy is here, I do need to stay and keep her company, maybe take her on a tour of the different islands, maybe go see the whales...either way, when you go there with the others...there is something none of them know, not even Farron. Normally I wouldn't pass this task onto someone else, but they need to know...there's another reason I adopted each of them."

Blinking, Levy tilted her head in confusion.

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About twenty minutes had passed when Levy and Arman stepped back into the small dining room with the others, Levy looking dazed, Arman looking a bit relieved. Casting worried looks to Levy, Gajeel and Bickslow were quick to rise to their feet. Before they could say anything though, Arman raised a hand.

"If all of you are finished, there is something that Levy needs to show all of you, so please follow her, and Lucy, while that is happening, I thought you and I could take a boat out and see some of the water life in the area." Arman stated, turning to Lucy with an engaging, if not somewhat strained, smile.

"Um, sure, that sounds like a wonderful idea." Lucy accepted with a confused smile, not hesitating to take the hand he held out to her and following him out of the room when he pulled her from her chair. Once they had left, the others turned to Levy with questioning looks, brows lifting when she gulped in response.

"Alright, so if uh, you could follow me please, and save any questions you will more than likely end up having for when we get to where we're going, that would be, well, great, thanks." With that said, Levy hurried from the room, the others quick to follow after grabbing some rolls for while they walked.

Shortly after, Levy pulled open the door leading into a library, and purposely ignored the groans that echoed behind her.

"Oh come on Lev! We don't want to spend our time in the library!" Natsu huffed, lacing his hands behind his head. He jerked a bit when a large hand lightly clapped him across the back of his head.

"Manners Natsu! Or do we need to revisit that particular lesson?" Cristoff asked beside him with a lifted brow.

Tripping slightly, Natsu whimpered and shook his head fervently. "I'm sorry Levy! Pleaseforgiveme!" Natsu rushed out, gulping hard when she turned a smug look on him over her shoulder.

Bickslow smirked _Oh Baby you've gotta tease him...Cristoff is such huge leverage with Natsu and this is just priceless_... Levy heard and narrowed her eyes on Natsu.

"I don't know if I should. I mean, you know I know you Natsu, do you really think I would WILLINGLY bring you around any form of book unless I had no choice?" She snarked, huffing a breath at him when he visibly paled, glancing over at his mate who was crossing his arms over his chest, dark blue eyes promising things that made the fire slayer quiver. Levy let him hang a few moments more than, waving a hand at him, she turned her attention back to the path in front of her. "I'll forgive you this time, but don't forget it!" She called back to him, causing the rest of the group to bust into laughter as he drooped in relief and Cristoff snatched him by the wrist and yanked him back, growling at him but leaning in to kiss his temple.

She led them to the back of the library, and after giving a quick look around to make sure it was only them, she did a quick shuffle, then jump, reaching up to grip a small statue on the top shelf. The glare she shot over her shoulder turned the couple of snorts she heard into clearing coughs as the others quickly looked elsewhere. Turning back to the bookcase that swung open, she was quick to step forward.

"Alright ladies and gents, let's go, and for newcomers, no matter what happens, just keep walking. Mates? I suggest you hold onto your other half for this first part of the tour so they don't freak out." Levy stated firmly, striding further into the darkened passage.

"Oh you mean like you and Gajeel did Angel?" Bix asked, snickering, ducking just in time to avoid the hand that reached out to smack him from behind. Rolling her eyes at her husbands antics, Levy kept going, and before long she crossed the first line of runes, disappearing from the others, Gajeel and Bickslow right behind her.

Minutes passed and Levy soon found herself in the same cavern as before, Gajeel and Bickslow by her sides, waiting patiently. A few moments later the others appeared, coming in from the various archways that lined the cavern. She could only smile slightly at the shock and awe on the new Pradesh family members. She remembered far too clearly the shock she had felt when she had first been shown this place. It didn't take long for everyone to gather before Levy and her mates, facing the rest of the family directly.

"I know you have many questions, so go for it, I'll answer any I can to the best of my ability, and then I'll tell you what I've been informed of by Arman." Levy encouraged, tucking her hands into her pockets. Silence fell as the new family members looked at each other, uncertain as to who should go first. Finally Sting spoke up with the first question.

"What is this place?"

"Honestly? I'm not entirely sure, I'm still trying to figure that out. I do know that this cavern, is actually a type of tomb." Levy answered, shrugging at the surprised look on his face. Seeing the shocked blinking, she shrugged again.

"How did we even get here in the first place then?" Laxus demanded, arms wrapped around Emi, keeping her flush up against him. His eyes were narrowed, and his instincts were going nuts at the feeling of power that he felt pulsing around him.

"I'm still figuring that out, that actually might be a good question for Bix to answer." Levy stated, tilting her head towards him with a smile. Letting out a sigh and mentally cursing the smile that Levy gave him, he swore she could get away with murder with that thing, he turned back to the others.

"How we got to this place exactly is a very good question. And unfortunately, any answer I give you is never going to be the correct one because there isn't a correct answer. Every time we come here, even if we all enter through the same entrance like we did today, we'll all get here differently. I've tried to look into it, but have never been able to figure out how exactly the ways to get here were designed. Anytime I left the castle to come here, it would be in a different part of the castle. But by the time I got here, I always came through the same door. When walking the corridors, there would be lines of runes that would be crossed, and while it felt like I was walking a straight hallway to get here, I knew I wasn't." Pausing for a moment, the seith mage crossed his arms, tilted his head as if remembering something.

"I remember the one time I asked Dad about it, he told me that the family would never have to worry, because we were all connected to this place. Any friends of the family, or staff of the castle who are loyal to use won't have to fear the ways here either. If any of them stumble across, or end up in these tunnels, and cross those runes, they'll be let out in another part of the castle. I actually wouldn't be surprised if some of the staff use those halls to get around a bit faster."

"What if it isn't a friend of the family, or one of the castle staff?" Rogue asked, leaning against Vander with his arm wrapped around his back.

"They don't meet nearly as pleasant ends. They will either end up wandering the halls until they die of starvation or insanity, or whatever, or the lines of runes that we were able to cross safely will kill them immediately. Either way they won't be let back into the castle, and they certainly won't be able to get here." Bix finished explaining.

"Ok, then what is this power that we're feeling? 'Cause it's making me damn itchy!" Natsu pouted, shifting slightly. He could feel the magic pulsing along his skin, and it was making him shift restlessly. When Cristoffs hand came up to cup his shoulder, some of his magic came with it, soothing the itch that was causing him discomfort.

"Plus, there's something about it that feels oddly familiar, but stronger...it's almost overpowering..." Wendy stated, leaning back into Farron's embrace. She couldn't help but tilt her head curiously when Levy's smile only widened.

"There is actually a good reason for that." Levy stated. Still smiling she strode over to a wall and placed her hand on the wall, hearing gasps from behind her as a pulse of magic rippled along the stone, and the wall itself seemed to melt away. A moment later she stepped back and turned, watching as the rest of her family turned in shock, seeing the water life swimming around them.

She remembered after first coming down here, she had found the single handprint on that wall, surrounded by fish and water and had been confused at first. Being naturally curious she had placed her hand in the handprint and like the others now, had been shocked when the walls seemed to disappear, allowing them to see out into the waters surrounding the islands.

Even Arman and Bickslow had been shocked, Arman explaining that in all the years that they had come down here, they had only just barely managed to figure out what the circle in the middle of the room did. To not have to leave the cavern to be able to see out was a wonderous thing indeed.

"What...how is this possible? We've all been coming down here periodically for years, and we've never been able to do something like this..." Emi muttered, stepping away from Laxus to approach the closest wall, brushing her fingers over the wall. When the scene blurred, she took a quick step back, blinking as the coral reef that she knew rested beneath her own island was closer. Laxus' eyes widened as he closed his arms around her.

"Isn't that..your island?" He whispered and she nodded.

"Ours...yes." Emzadi smiled, reaching back over her shoulder to run her fingers lovingly over Laxus' cheek.

"Gajeel and I were shown this place when we came here with Bix for our honeymoon. Apparently there's a great deal more to this place than the family knows. I'm still working on the research for it, to try and get some more answers, but there is one thing I can tell you right now."

"And what would that be?" Vander asked, lifting an elbow to it's usual spot on Rogue's shoulder.

"There was a reason why Arman adopted each of you, it wasn't completely by chance." Levy stated, turning to stand between Gajeel and Bix once more.

"What do you mean?" Xally blinked. Levy had all of their attention now, and Levy couldn't help the sense of nerves that rushed through her. She kind of wished that Arman hadn't asked her to do this.

"You uh...each of you...well..."

"Just spit it out Angel." Bix murmured, lifting a hand to run over her back in soothing circles.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to look up at him, letting his crimson gaze help calm her. "You're all, very distantly, related. When this kingdom was first founded, and the Pradesh family became the ruling family of all of Earthland, eight children had been born. One was the heir to the throne-" Levy paused turning her gaze on Farron who was looking at her in confusion. "The others became bound to an island each. Specifically one island to each child. When that happened, there were also dragons around."

"Levy, please, get to the point." Kaleb asked, gulping hard. It wasn't stupid, he could tell she was still blocking what she knew from him, and he had a feeling things were about to change, whether dramatically or not was yet to be seen.

"Fine, I'll get to the point. With the eight children of the first King and Queen of Earthland, there were also ten dragons. Three of them stayed on the main island, while the others claimed their own island...and their own Pradesh child to become dragon slayers. This group was the first interspecies Tatsu on Earthland, and they were your ancestors. When the dragon slayers had children, the children began to leave the islands, explore more of the world. Bit by bit the various lines of the family faded away. Until only eight remained, six of the descendants though didn't know anything about their lineage as it had been lost over the centuries." Levy explained, standing taller. Looking from one to the other, she pointed out their connections.

"Farron, the heir to the Archipelago and all of Earthland throne. Emzadi, solar dragon slayer, descendant to the solar dragon slayer from the original family. Xally, descendant to the water dragon slayer, Vander, descendant of the shadow dragon slayer, Kaleb, descendant to the telepathy dragon slayer, Cristoff, descendant to the lunar dragon slayer and Bickslow is the descendant of the soul dragon slayer, and Zen, who I haven't met yet, I'm still trying to figure out where he fits into this." Levy finished crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn't help but smirk a little at the dropped jaws she was seeing.

"W-wait a second...you mean..." Bickslow trailed off, blinking, trying to wrap his head around what she had just told them.

"You all are the last of the original Pradesh royal family. You're much more directly related than you realize, and the reason you are all so strong with your particular magic, is because the power you come from has always been in your blood, just dormant." Levy replied.

"Who is Zen?" Cobra asked.

Farron swept a hand over the wall before him, Archipelago focusing and then Angeal Reata.

"Zen...none of you have met him yet, he is my blood brother, a year younger than me. If you want to expand your research Levy….learn all you can about Archangel Mages. Zen was born with that magic and because nobody knew anything about it, he was sent to live in the Celestial realms...he was even taken by the Celestial Dragon Draco, given a piece of his soul and taught Dragon Slaying magic to help balance the powerful Archangel magic." Farron said.

Levy looked up at Farron with wide eyes. "A...real Archangel mage? That magic...it's been dead...lost...for more than 700 years, hasn't been seen since the holy wars ended…" She breathed.

Farron looked thoughtfully at her. "Yet our brother was born with it. Even has wings, he's been training his whole life to learn to control it, to master it all, hopefully he will be coming home for good soon. You want to know more...he's somehow at the center of it all, I don't know how exactly...but Father and Draco have always said so."

Just then, Natsu spoke up once more. "Wait...did you say 'ruling family of all Earthland'?" Natsu asked, turning to his mate with a shocked gaze. When Cristoff was the one to drop his gaze and shift uncomfortably, the other mates followed Natsus' example staring at the Pradesh family wordlessly.

Clearing his throat and taking a deep breath, Bickslow was the first to break the tense silence. "Farron is the crown prince of Archipelago. Should the kings and/or queens of the other kingdoms ever fall to unwanted hands, or the blood lines running those kingdoms die out, one of our family steps forward to take their place. Should anything ever happen to the King of Fiore, and if Husui was not there to take his place, I would instead. Vander would take over Bosco, Cristoff would go to Stella, Kaleb to Minstrel, so on and so forth." Bickslow finished in a monotone voice, as if it was something that had been drilled into him from his childhood.

"Do...do the rulers of the different kingdoms know?" Wendy asked softly, looking up at Farron as he returned to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"They do. Having all of Earthland under one ruler is difficult, and so the idea was formed of splitting the land into a number of different kingdoms, eight to be exact, and a ruling team if you will, was formed to watch over all of Earthland together. The various rulers would watch over those Kingdoms, and report to King Pradesh if needed." Farron explained.

"So in other words, right now..." Rogue breathed, looking at Vander with wide eyes.

"Yep, your father-in-law, is the King of all of Earthland, making you a prince above all others. Hmm...a very hot prince if I may add..." Vander purred, nuzzling into Rogues ear, ignoring the slight thuds as the new family members sat down hard in shock.

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It had been a week.

A very hectic, insane, week.

Endless fittings with oceans of fabrics that were brought in by castle staff delighted the ladies, but drew groans from the men. The same day that Arman had announced that there was going to be a ball, and after the explosion of fireworks designed to be seen during the day, invitations had been sent out to every island, and to the royalty of neighboring kingdoms. Even Fairytail had been sent invitations, and when the knowledge had been made known, the grins and facepalms that went around had Arman chuckling. The celebrations that had taken place on every island since then had also gotten more than one indulgent smile from each family member as they watched from the personal airship that flew them around the various islands.

Cheers could be heard even from their place in the air, music was quick to start playing, with dancing joining in. There was peace here for them, home, and in spite of what had happened to Levy a number of months before, there was safety.

And now, now there would be the official coronation for each of them. For every person who had married into the family there would be a ceremony showing the title and responsibilities that the person took on. For Farron and Wendy there would be a bit more, as the others would be considered lesser princes and princesses.

It was the day of the ball, the castle was buzzing, staff rushing about getting the last of things set up and ready to go. Fairy Tail and White Sea mages had flooded into the castle first thing in the morning, being the main source of protection for the new royals, getting a feel for the layout of the castle and grounds. Freed could be seen looking over various protection runes and personally reinforcing those he felt were needed. Beck and Cana were wandering the grounds together under the guise of a very touchy couple, while placing hidden cards here and there for additional protection, and Beck tapped into his beast magic with the various animals that made the castle grounds home.

Because the two guilds were coming together to help protect the ball, Arman and Markarov had already discussed that appropriate clothing would be provided so the mages would blend in further, drawing the attention further onto those being crowned rather than those watching the guests.

But no one had yet to see the royal family.

In one over large suite in the west wing, excited giggling and chattering could be heard through the door faintly as Levy, Wendy, Lucy, Xally, and Emzadi got ready for the rapidly approaching event. Lucy had called out Cancer for his expertise, and he stood behind a barstool brought in by a maid for each lady to sit on as he worked his magic. As soon as he had been finished with Lucy, pulling her hair into a loose updo with endless curls falling down her back, and makeup that was light but enhanced every aspect of her features, Xally and Emzadi were quick to fawn over him.

One by one, as he helped each woman with their hair and make-up, the ladies were comparing the many dresses that had been brought in to be considered.

"So Lucy, how does it feel to be officially and formally asked to attend the ball with the king himself?" Levy smirked, watching in delight as her long time friend flushed a bright red.

"Just like I'm going with a friend. I know it's nothing more than out of friendship, and to keep the vultures at bay." Lucy stated flippantly. She was honestly enjoying herself, digging her hands into the silks and lace of the dresses that were set up before her. She still felt that seed of envy for her friends who had found love, but this was such a big thing happening and she wasn't going to be a downer to anyone.

She would attend the ball with the king to help keep the widowed and single gold digging nobles from sinking their claws into him, just as he would be doing the same with her. She definitely did not have the energy to keep over excited men at bay that evening. The fact that she had been taken in as kin by every dragon slayer helped as well, and she knew she'd be able to enjoy herself fully.

"What about you Wendy? Nervous?" Lucy asked, purposely turning the attention to the youngest of them all who would be taking on the biggest role. Lucy could only smile softly as Wendy blushed slightly before shrugging and nodding.

"A bit yes. I never expected my mate to be a prince, let alone the heir to the throne. I know female dragon slayers are considered dragon queens, but really? This was so far from what I expected... I don't regret it though. Farron is right for me," She blushed a little smiled, and the other women all ginned knowing that look, they wore it themselves often. "Really if he wasn't, my dragon never would've chosen him." Wendy finished firmly, stilling as Cancer quietly admonished her to stay still. She was the last one to be getting ready, and looking around at her family and friends, she could only smile at how beautiful they all looked.

Levy with her hair artfully curled, a small, carefully placed braid acting as a type of headband to keep her hair somewhat back, Emzadi with her wild mane of blond hair divided into three braids then combined to twist into an intricate bun. Xally's long dark locks had been pulled over her right shoulder in a partial braid, the rest falling over her shoulder in a tumble of curls.

And Lucy with her hair pulled up into a loose bun with curls spilling free, Wendy had always felt she was so much more beautiful with her bright personality and huge heart, but even she had noticed that over the last number of months, almost a year it seemed, Lucy had become a bit more sad about something. She could see though that Lucy was determined to not let tonight be overshadowed by her worries, and for now Wendy let it go.

Instead Wendy now sat on the bar stool, Cancer working on her hair and makeup, twisting, lightly pulling, and curling her hair in a way that he refused to let her see yet, but assured her it would be perfect for a future queen. Laughter and chatter continued to echo through the room, fabric rustled, and Wendy could only smile.

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In another suite, further down the hall from the ladies, the male Fairy Tail slayers, Laxus, Natsu, Gajeel, Sting, Rogue, and Erik were lounging, already partially dressed for the evening. Dark slacks with white button down shirts that had yet to be buttoned were all that had been pulled on while dark coats draped over hangers were carefully hung up on the portable clothes rack that had been wheeled into the room.

Tumblers filled with amber liquid were held in relaxed hands as the men sprawled around, oddly silent as thoughts of what was about to happen filled their heads. Of all the different roads each of them had come from, never had they expected to end up here.

"You know...when I first joined you fairies, I had only hoped to make a dent in making right the things that I had done wrong so many years ago. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would find my mate in Kaleb, or think of how much more I'd be able to do now to help people." Erik stated softly, breaking the silence, gaze lost in thought as he stared into the amber liquid held in his hand. A hate filled criminal was about to become...a prince, bound to his mate who had enhanced his abilities and opened up a huge world of possibilities for him he had never even dreamed of before Kaleb had walked into Fairy Tail. He didn't have to look to know that the others now smiled as well, silently agreeing.

"We've all come from some pretty interesting places, made our mistakes, questioned ourselves on more than one occasion, but always, always our family has been there to help guide us back to where we needed to be. If we hadn't come back to Fairy Tail, learned of the strength that came from being part of this guild, we would still be on our own paths to self destruction." Laxus confirmed, tilting back his own glass of whiskey in a long sip. His gramps was so happy with all of this it was about to drive him crazy. He was so in love with Emi it scared him, his grandfather's endless chatting with Arman about grandbabies had him reeling too. He had always dreamed of a big family...now, mated to a strong Dragon Queen, he could have that and so much more.

"Do you think we can handle helping run a kingdom?" Sting asked, leaning forward to brace his elbows on his knees, idly swirling his own drink in his hand. Xally had him feeling a little small at first, she was a healer, an actual PHD carrying doctor in pediatric medicine, loving, compassionate, but behind closed doors...holy Gods she was all Boscan woman. He was facing this trying to not let the intimidation caused by the responsibility ruin the happiness.

"I would think the better question would be will this kingdom be able to handle us as a part of it's royal family?" Gajeel chuckled, propping his chin on a fist as he leaned on the arm couch he was sprawled in.

"Either way, this family that we're now a part of will work hard as it's always done. It won't settle for anything less." Rogue commented softly, leaning against a wall across from the sitting area of the suite they were getting ready in. He knew his closest friend was worried but he wasn't. Whatever he had to do to be at Vanders side was what he would do. The fact he had a mate like Vander, he was never going to stop thanking the Gods or his inner dragon for the mate selected for him. He would never know a dull moment, or pass a day without passion and laughter again, that was certain.

"And we won't give it anything less than our best. We'll help run and protect this kingdom just as much as we do with Fairy Tail, because we're nakama, and that's what we do." Natsu finished firmly, tossing the rest of his own drink back.

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On the other side of the of the castle in the east wing, the Pradesh males gathered to get ready for the ball, fidgeting with ties and getting their clothing to fit just right for the ceremony that would happen at the beginning of the ball. It had been a tradition taught to them from the moment they could walk, and while many of the members had thought it would be quite a while before it was time for them to do so, never did they think they'd be doing the traditional dance all at the same time. Adjustments had had to be made, and ultimately the end performance would be a beautiful one.

There were no words to be said, murmurs of encouragement were barely heard as Arman went from one son to another to help straighten ties, pin the royal sashes accordingly, and brush small bits of lint from shoulders. Deep breaths were taken, bracing shots of whiskey thrown back, and shoulders rotated.

Even Vander, normally one to make light of moments like these, held his tongue, the depth of what they were doing not lost on him. He was building a life, a real one, becoming a guild mage instead of an international spy. His days rotated around simpler things now, taking jobs retrieving lost things, guarding simple people from simple criminals, even the dark mage hunting he found relaxing after the work he had been doing for far too long. Out there Ryos waited, and maybe it was the dragon magic, though he doubted it, the need and love for his Dragon Slayer was real, strong, he belonged to Ryos, and vice versa, and this was right, this ceremony would cement it all, make Ryos a part of the family, a part of his island that was so closely tied to him and would be to Ryos after this.

A quiet knock sounded through the room, drawing all of the pairs of eyes as Arman quickly opened the door, stepping back to allow Xally and Emzadi into the room. They were glowing in their gowns of silk, colors matching their magics. A deep gold strapless gown that clung to her curves before flaring out in a fluid skirt with crimson embroidery flattered every inch of Emzadi, and with her hair pulled into intricate braids, her mating mark was clear to see.

Beside her Xally stood appearing to shimmer in a single strap gown of silk that in one moment appeared deep blue, but as she shifted it changed to a deep green with hints of purple. Like Emzadi, her hair had been styled to hang over her right shoulder, leaving her mating mark to be seen as clear as day.

As the sisters ran their eyes over their brothers, they could see that following tradition, the long hair worn by the majority of their brothers was pulled back either in tight single or dual braids, or restrained in a low tail, leaving their own various marks to be seen clearly while Bickslows shorter hair had been slicked back. They wore matching tuxes and the matching royal sapphire sashes. Emzadi and Xally were quick to slide their own on, carefully pinning them in place so they wouldn't be lost in the activities of the evening.

"Are you two ready?" Arman asked quietly, cupping his daughters faces in a gentle hand, warm eyes searching their faces for signs of nerves.

"As ready as we'll ever be. And for them? Always." Xally smiled, thinking of the mates that had dropped into their laps, the thought of her own mate making her smile widen as warmth spread through her. Beside her Emzadi nodded, and Arman didn't have to look to know that his sons were smiling in agreement.

"Then lets go introduce them to the kingdom properly." Arman stated firmly, holding the door open for his children to file out, following behind them.

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The ballroom was crowded, the chatter was nearly overwhelming, and if the mages of the two guilds in attendance hadn't known each other already, they would not have recognized the other for being the other guild. Having been provided with the appropriate attire, both guilds blended in seamlessly and were simply considered either citizens of the kingdom or nobles from other countries. The actual guests themselves were too excited at the chance of catching a royals eye that they weren't paying much attention to anyone else. They would exchange pleasantries, and polite chatter, but every noble had the same end goal.

Catch a royals eye for possible marriage.

When the announcement a week before had gone off above the castle, there had been no clarification as to who had been married. When invitations had been sent out to the islands and to other kingdoms for the coronation of a royal, there had been no hint as to who was being crowned. All that those who had come to this ball knew was that at least one royal was no longer on the list. Some of the same nobles from the previous ball were there, but still held out hope to be able to steal a prince or princess away from those from before.

Cool dark eyes searched the crowd, as many men hopefully trying to catch the gaze of the Princes or Princesses of the islands, maybe a little more. Princess Kurino Endivosh of Bosco, the crown princess, who would become Queen. She stood, attendants flanking her, pointedly ignoring most of the men there, giving predatory looks to others that sent them hurrying from her sight.

She meant to have a Pradesh as her husband if she could swing it. She knew she had made a couple of mistakes, she had blown everything with Farron, threats had not lured him to her bed, all they had succeeded in doing was nearly alienating Archipelago and brought her father down hard on her. Kaleb she had manipulated, gotten to her bed but only once, then he'd avoided her.

He was still a possibility though. As a Guild Master of White Sea, a Prince, he would be a fine King at her side. Her main goal though was Cristoff. The Lunar Dragon slayer had graced her bed three times, twice during full moons when she had learned how they affected him and timed her visits and invitations to coincide with one. He took her rather kinky bedroom practices well, healed without scars and didn't go running telling everyone what had happened afterward. Sexy, wickedly handsome, well respected and decorated as a knight and battle healer. He was young, far too active to be the one who had apparently married, she was sure she could state her intentions to his father directly and have a good chance at him.

The whole Dragon Slayer mate thing didn't concern her in the least. She'd keep their damn mates locked up someplace nice, maybe even bring them in so they could watch, participate. According to her spies their mates were attractive. She'd have no problem at all taking a pair. She could marry the Pradesh and keep their mate as a lover.

She smiled, the idea appealed to her on many levels. She'd happily watch them fuck each other too, let them work each other up and then step in between them and enjoy them both. She understood she couldn't just outright kill the mate, lest the Prince she wanted die, but it wouldn't be hard to keep them. The idea was distinctly appealing...

The large blonde with the stormy blue eyes caught her attention though, and she sent an attendant to find out who he was, she liked the way he filled his suit. She rather liked the one with the long black hair too, crimson eyes, the piercings though, she sort of liked them, but imagined they would be hard to explain at certain parties. She spotted the blue haired girl her contacts had told her Farron had danced with at the last charity ball, who, rumor had it, he kissed too.

The young woman was pretty, shy, looked far too soft to be royalty or even of noble birth, no, her and the other blue haired girl both looked too soft, the busty blonde had the practiced face or a high born. None of the others did though. Maybe the black haired one, without the piercings, he held himself right, moved like he was practiced at holding himself high.

Mingling carefully through the crowd, the mates of the princes and princesses stayed together mostly, keeping cautious eyes on the guests in the room. Levy and Lucy stood close to Wendy, picking up on the nerves pumping off of her from the way her fingers twisted into the skirt of her gown, while Gajeel stood just behind Levy, keeping eyes narrowed on those who would possibly approach the ladies. Natsu, Sting, Rogue and Laxus stood around them as well in a relaxed group, exchanging idle words, waiting to for their mates to make their appearance. They had been prepared for the ceremony that would take place, and knew that sticking together was a requirement.

Feeling a light tap on her shoulder, Lucy merely turned her head to peer over her shoulder before smiling, taking the hand held out to her as Arman nodded at her. Being a sound mage himself he had managed to arrive in the crowded room without being seen, and without being heard. This was a part of what they had spent the week preparing for, and linking her arm with his, she nodded at Gajeel who laid a hand on Levys shoulder as Lucy was led away to the head of the room where all of the thrones had all been placed at the top of the dais. Without a word the others followed quietly, pausing at the edge of the crowd, looking up at Arman and Lucy with small smiles.

Patting her hand in a reassuring manner, Arman let Lucy's hand fall from his elbow as he turned to the crowd, raising his hands for silence. It didn't take long for guests to notice that he had appeared at the top of the dais, standing before his throne with a welcoming smile. Conversations were quick to stop as guests took note of the wave of silence that spread from the head of the room.

"Ladies and gentleman, I'd like to thank you very much for coming to our home on such short notice. As many of you may know, when certain things come to pass, ceremonies are followed to introduce the next stage of life. For my children the next stage would be marriage, and so, as ceremony follows, the marriage dance will be performed, followed by the crowning of the new family. If you can please move back to clear the middle of the room that has been marked, I'd be very grateful." Arman announced, lowering his hands and offering his arm to Lucy once more who was quick to take it with a polite smile.

The shuffle of bodies and rustling of cloth filled the room as the guests were quick to follow his request, trying to be careful not to trip others, even as the Fairy Tail mates placed themselves carefully at the edge of the crowd so they could be found easily. There in the middle of the floor a clear circle had been marked out for the space needed, and once the line had been cleared it lit up in a gentle glow, drawing many gasps as soft music began to fill the air. A moment later the princes and princesses suddenly appeared in a circle themselves, Cristoffs magic leaving a soft wash of minted mist about the floor, their backs to the crowd.

Armans voice carrying out over the crowd kept the guests attention on the gathered royal family, shock causing many jaws to drop.

"This ceremony as I said is the dance of marriage, typically performed only by those that have been married. Normally only performed by one person at a time. However, you can see that nearly all of my sons and both of my daughters are present, and as per the ceremony, the dance will have the spouses of my children pulled into the dance as well. We do hope you'll enjoy." Arman explained, the smug satisfaction clear in his voice. With that the music picked up tempo, and as it did, the Pradesh family began to move.

As they did, Princess Kurinos eyes narrowed on the tall raven haired Lunar Dragon Slayer, finding the mating mark on his neck and glaring, her eyes immediately seeking who it was that had put it there.

Each Fairy Tail mate watched transfixed as their Pradesh spouse moved, spun, twisted and bent in an elegant dance that was full of the love their mates had for them. As they moved, their hands glowed, trailing different colored magic in the air that spun and twisted with them. As they turned their voices rose as one, in harmony, drawing every guest to watch in awe.

It was all pure muscle memory, instinct, as the princes and princesses trusted their bonds, dancing with their eyes closed. One by one their eyes opened, and with a smile they moved, still dancing, shifting for Bickslow to be the first to draw Gajeel and Levy into the circle, turning in such a way that they were placed in the middle of the dancing circle of siblings. Kaleb stepped forward, Erik moving to meet him without a word spoken, taking the spot next to Gajeel. Cristoff was next, quick to reach out and pull Natsu into the group, placing him on the other side of Levy.

From there the dance sped up slightly, Laxus being pulled in by Emzadi, Sting by Xally, and Rogue by Vander. Farron was the last to move from the circle slightly, his smile spreading, voice rising as Wendy stepped forward to meet him with a glowing grin, gripping his hands with hers. Once placed between Erik and Vander, the siblings continued the dance for a few moments longer, their hands glowing brighter, and when they stopped once more, they reached out to clasp each others hands, standing before their own mates with smiles as the circle closed, the magic expanding in a gentle explosion of light. They had eyes only for each other as the music faded away, and once the magic bled away as well, they broke the circle, turning to face the dais where their father waited with a gentle smile.

At his nod they took the hand of their mates and led them forward past the still silent, parted crowd, to him where, with a quick reassuring squeeze, let their hands go and took their place to either side of Arman. As one the Fairy Tail mates knelt, bowing their heads to him, and to the royal family. Even when Arman began to speak once more, they kept their place, understanding the significance of what was being said.

"We have before us great mages who have worked hard to this point in their lives. Like my children, they each have faced their own troubles and trials that they have faced head on and come out stronger for. The choices in partner that my children have made come with bonds built on ancient magic. Each of my children were chosen to be mates to dragon slayers, creating a bond that is stronger than even the ancient Pradesh line. These mages have already been wed to my children, and are stepping forward to accept the responsibilities of being part of this kingdom." Arman paused, gesturing for the attendees carrying plush pillows with individual bands of metal set with different colored stones. Each assistant stood by a sibling, offering the pillow, and as one Bickslow, Kaleb, Cristoff, Emzadi, Xally, and Vander lifted the crowns that matched their own, stepping forward to their mates who were still kneeling before them.

"Gajeel, Levana, Erik, Natsu, Laxus, Sting and Rogue. Do you understand, accept, and will you carry out the needed actions and/or responsibilities that this kingdom requires to continue to prosper, offer sound advice when needed, and provide protection in times of attack or war?" Arman asked steadily, standing firm and tall with Farron standing to his right, and Lucy to his left.

"We do." The mages answered firmly.

"Do you promise to love this kingdom, treat its' citizens with compassion and understanding, help them in times of need, just as you would for any of my children or your own home?"

"We so promise."

"Do you swear allegiance to the kingdom of Archipelago and to the crown prince and princess in partnership to your allegiance to the kingdom of Fiore?"

"We swear."

A pin could be heard if it was dropped in that moment, the guests watching in shock at the mass crowning happening before them, and the knowledge that as of a week ago nearly the entire royal family was no longer available for possible marriage. There were murmurs though, the second Prince of Archipelgo was not there, just as he had been absent for most of his life from events and major ceremonies, though his island flourished a was rich and gorgeous in a reflection of some sort of combination of magics nobody could pinpoint. Most agreed he had to have lost magics, or very rare types because even scholars and supposed experts hadn't been able to decipher the island's development and the royal family was keeping their secrets.

"Then with the placement of these crowns..." Arman paused, allowing for his children to step forward and ease the crowns onto their mates heads before they stepped back once more. "I, King Arman of Archipelago, acknowledge each of you as Princes and Princess of Archipelago by marriage."

Rising to their feet the men bowed and Levy dropped into a deep curtsy before rising to their full heights once more, stepping forward to take their place by their mates, leaving Wendy to be the last to be crowned and still kneeling on the steps of the dais before Arman and Farron.

"Wendy, a week ago you claimed my son as a mate through ancient dragon slaying magic, and married him. Do you swear to lead this kingdom by my sons side with all of the compassion, kindness, and firmness a future queen requires?" Arman asked firmly.

"I do so swear." Wendy stated clearly. Kurino barely kept her scoff from being loud enough for too many to hear. She was livid, furious, Farron had been claimed by a shy little blue haired brat?! Farron, the Crown Prince of Archipelago that she had wanted since she was 12 years old. She hated the blue haired witch now, and the pink haired ass who had taken Cristoff, and the maroon haired mage who had taken Kaleb, she hated them. She leveled a nasty glare on all who turned to look at her in shock when she'd made the disgusted sound at Wendys vow. To hell with all of them.

"Do you swear your allegiance to this kingdom, me, and my son Farron, the crown prince of Archipelago, in partnership to your allegiance to the kingdom of Fiore?"

"I do so swear."

"Do you swear to love this kingdom, love my son, provide heirs to continue the royal line and prosperity of this kingdom?"

"I do so swear."

"Then with the placement of this crown, I acknowledge you as mate, and wife to my son Farron, crown prince of Archipelago, making you crown princess of Archipelago as well." Arman paused once more, allowing Farron a moment to take the intricately woven crown and place it on her bent head.

"Rise, Princess Wendy, and take your place by my sons side as crown princess of Archipelago." Arman announced, rising his hands to clap, smiling as Farron held out a hand to bring Wendy to her feet, tucking her hand into the crook of his arm.

Farron didn't miss the stony face of Princess Kurino, nor did he miss the baroness and her daughters looking furious a short distance away as their eyes scanned the dias and the Princes all taken by mates. The Baroness only concerned him a little, but Kurino, she was sly, deadly intelligent and ruthless. She worried him as she ran her eyes over his wife. Wendy was strong, but politics and royalty were new to her, it would fall on him to assure she wasn't maneuvered by Kurino into something that would make her uncomfortable...or worse.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present the crown prince Farron and his wife, the crown princess Wendy!" Arman finished announcing. A thunder of applause and cheers were quick to follow as Wendy took her place next to Farron, and there was a quick flash as even Rayana, the photographer from a week before, was there, taking pictures of the coronation. A few moments later Farron led Wendy back to the cleared middle of the crowd, and with a gentle guiding hand led her into the first waltz of the night, the hired orchestra quick to pick up the music to accompany them.

There were many smiles to be seen on the faces of the guests, many who nodded and bowed or curtsied slightly as they passed by them. It was something Wendy knew she would have to get used to, but it would take time. She was still a hardworking mage and healer at heart, wishing only for the well being of those she loved. She was so worried she was losing so much, sacrificing, she knew Cristoff was now there and a strong healer who was already helping her to improve with his confident guidance but she still felt she should be there.

Yet, at her side was her mate, tall and handsome, gentle but so very strong. Farron was a picture of practiced elegance, she loved him already, his touch, his voice, the way he would smile at her, his eyes the color of the sky, she'd gone from a young woman struggling to break free of pigtails to the Crown Princess of Archipelago, married to one of the most desired men on Earthland in such a short time.

The icy looks from the Baroness and her daughters, from the Crown Princess of Bosco too, made her stomach tighten in knots of worry.

Her dragon had picked the perfect man for her, and Farron was all she had ever wanted and more than she'd ever hoped for. But was she the right woman for Farron? Kalebs massive sacrifices for Erik, what Cristoff was giving up for Natsu. She didn't want Farron to sacrifice for her. She had to come to terms with it all.

She'd already caught him using his magic, angling sounds so she didn't catch the insults mumbled in the crowds and she narrowed her eyes when she felt his magic flaring again. Her hands tightened on him and he gave her the faintest sigh of resignation and sound flooded her again.

"Little whore jumped him on the balcony while the mages from her guild kept everyone at bay and she got her damn teeth into him, fucked him on the damn balcony like a beast. Now he's lost to her and the king doesn't even care since he's got that blonde whore sucking him off in the hallway. Lucky Lucy indeed, damn whore, she always was you know, her father passed her around to advance his business." The words about her didn't phase her, but as soon as Lucy was mentioned Wendys eyes blazed and Farron tightened his grip on her and pulled her in closer.

"Easy love...they're just angry they aren't getting what they wanted." he said and she forced him to turn so she faced the two daughters of the damn Baroness and met the taller ones eyes. Smiling right before she sent a blast of wind up under the young women flipping their gowns up over their heads and revealing the racey lingerie including no panties at all they had going on under those gowns.

As the women screeched and fought their gowns back down Farron snatched Wendy against him in a more intimate hold, and she saw him pressing his lips together firmly nodding to his father who rolled his eyes and whirled out with Lucy opening the dance to everyone so the floor quickly filled and Farron could pull Wendy in tight and press a hard swift kiss to her lips.

"That was…" He whispered and she frowned.

"I know, not what a princess would do…" She sighed and he hugged her tightly to him stopping completely and not caring about the startled looks.

"It was brilliant, exactly what MY Princess would do. Gods Wendy, be yourself, I only want you as you are, blow up every dress on every gossiping bitch in the ballroom for all I care, but be the Princess YOU will be, not what any other has been, promise me." He said, kissing her again and she smiled.

"I promise...and you aren't mad?"

He smiled at her. "I just wish you could do it to a few of the men!"

She ultimately didn't need to worry about Lucy, the King himself had heard some of what was being said and had decided the Baroness and her daughters had worn out their welcome. Cobra, already bent on becoming the Baroness' undoing, through Kaleb told the King he'd see to it.

Kaleb, smirking at his mates ideas for the Baroness had already found the men they needed in lesser, young affluent businessmen. They were looking for wives with titles, a way to break into the monarchy. The Baroness wouldn't usually give them a second glance, she used them, had gotten goods and services from the father of the three young men Cobra had found glaring at the women. Smirking he ran a claw over the rims of royal crested goblets and stopped the waiter before the Baroness.

"No harm done Baroness right? Here, you and your daughters can have some of the spiced wine right from the goblets meant for some of the royal family...please." He waved a hand and Kaleb was at his side smiling at the glowering woman.

"Indeed, please Baroness the vintage is exceptional. Reserved for this ceremony."

Glaring the Baroness nodded to her daughters and they snatched goblets from the tray, Kalebs hand on the waiters shoulder calming the wide eyed man. The Baroness downed the wine in a few very unladylike gulps and licked her lips. "The wine is sweet even if your choice in marriage is not, Prince Kaleb." She gave Cobra a withering look and started stalking off. Kaleb smiled faintly, the nudges he gave the men were small, they were already planning to see if the Baroness and her daughters wanted company.

"That will kill the birth control?" He asked Cobra who grinned.

"With enough pheromones and stimulants for their reproductive systems to make every swimmer count." Cobra sneered. "They'll go at it like bunnies and what they do will stick."

Turning he tilted his head for Kalebs soft kiss before slipping a hand under his tuxedo jacket to grip the blondes rear firmly "You do look good in a suit." He said.

Kaleb smirked. "I look better out of it."

"And bent over something solid…" Cobra added.

Kaleb laughed. "Later...we have to mingle a little more before I can sneak you back to my room." He said then smirked again. ' _Then I am removing that tux...you don't need it again...it can be removed in shreds_ …'

Kurino slid through the crowd easily, she'd spotted Kaleb with his "Mate" and a little information gathering revealed the man had once been a dangerous criminal, she wouldn't mess with that, and Kaleb wasn't her main pursuit anyway, no, Cristoff was, and she saw him standing with the pink haired man he'd claimed as a mate. She smiled slightly, she'd take them both, happily wedge herself between them...She would get one last moment with that raven haired Prince, maybe get him AND the pink haired man, he was plenty handsome too.

Two men, princes, in her bed? Marriage was off the table but she would make Cristoff sorry he'd not given her a second glance before she walked away.

She had a Duchess in position and nodded to the woman who drew a breath and ran right into a waiter. Glasses flew everywhere, wine sprayed across the womans pearl colored gown and she went down taking the waiter with her and managing to shove him right into Cristoff who had his back to the whole thing and almost went down but, damn his training he managed to keep his feet. His mate hurried to check the woman while he bent over the waiter to help him up.

The Duchess started wailing. "My Gown! You clumsy fool!" She burst into tears and Kurino watched the crowd start to notice, narrowed her eyes on Kaleb and his mate who were both frowning darkly in their direction and made her move as people crowded in to see, her attendants surging forward as Cristoff told his mate to see if Wendy could come see to the duchess while he dealt with the bleeding waiter who had been rolled right over several wine glasses.

Cristoff was edged away then, frowning. "What the fu…" He was about to react with force over being pushed from the injured man when he met Kurinos eyes and his narrowed.

"Princess...have your attendants move...the waiter-"

"Will be fine, minor cuts, hardly work worthy of a decorated battle mage and Knight of Immaculate light." Kurino interrupted calmly. "You left my bed for a guild mage? Really?" She cut right to the chase. Her people edged them safely from the crowd and screaming Duchess. she knew how to stage distractions and how to get her private moments amidst chaos.

"I was never there willingly Princess, and I told you repeatedly I am a Dragon Slayer, born for a mate that I do not chose but can not deny. I am happy with Natsu. My body won't work for anyone but my mate now." He said calmly.

"With your mate present perhaps that can be changed, you know me Cristoff, I am happy to arrange things like massive gatherings...full moon in two nights...I can be there...I can assure you and your mate will be too." Her threats were hollow, Cristoff was legally married to Natsu who was now a crowned Prince of this nation, she had no teeth to bite with, but he might not know that.

"You will not…" Crstoffs lip curled and his eyes lightened, silver bleeding into the blue and Kurino smiled.

"You know I can, you know I would. Why not agree to a compromise? I know about your damn dick, sad though I am I shant have it again I know full well you're very finely skilled in plenty of other ways to make me smile. One last smile before I part ways with you for good and I will leave your mate out of this."

"I think not princess." Kalebs voice stated calmly, appearing just behind her with a low growling Cobra by his side. "You will leave, now, and not bother any of us again with your attempts to bring any of us to your bed."

Turning, Kurino narrowed her gaze at Kaleb. "A lesser prince of this kingdom has no sway over me. I go where I want." She stated firmly, already planning on how she was going to punish each of her attendants that let them pass.

"Even a prince who can read thoughts and intentions? How about a prince that can hear souls? You set up that distraction with the duchess, just so you could corner Cristoff and try to get both him and Natsu into your bed. And one of those cuts on the waiter sliced into an artery on his arm. If Wendy was not here, your pulling Cristoff away would've cost the man his life." Cobra snarled, taking a step towards her, only to stop at the feeling of his mates hand on his arm.

Kurino paled slightly, not realizing that her plan had been overheard.

Smirking, Kaleb nodded. "Loud and clear, even with the noise of the ball." Looking past her to his brother, he continued. "Cristoff, could you give Wendy a hand? Some of those cuts were a bit more serious, but she's focusing on the one that would've killed the waiter."

"On it. Thanks Kaleb." Cristoff said gratefully, dismissing Kurino without even a backwards glance as he moved between his brothers, snarling at the attendants who tried to stop him, but his growl had them parting quickly. A mere moment later he was beside Natsu, running a calming hand over the growling slayer before kneeling down to help Wendy with the lesser wounds on the waiter who had been told to stay laying down. Emzadi and Xally were flanking the now pale, trembling Duchess, their mates beside them as they glared towards Kurino.

Keeping his eyes on Kurino, Kaleb didn't have to look to know that his father and Lucy had come up on his other side.

"Apparently you don't understand the laws of our kingdom princess. One of the largest ones is in regards to the marriage of the princes or princesses. To approach one of the spouses with the intent to pull one of them to bed without consent from both is considered treason. More so when it has been made clear that the interest is not there. Add in the additional facts that this particular spouse is a dragon slayer and it's insulting. It also threatens the life of the bonded slayers. So you essentially threatened the lives of two princes of this kingdom." Cobra stated clearly, his one eye burning with fury.

"I did no such thing! I was going to extend the invitation to his mate as well!" Kurino snapped, her hands curling into fists and trembling at her sides.

"You were...until you offered to keep him out of it if Cristoff gave you and I quote, "one last smile before I part ways with you for good and I will leave your mate out of this"." Cobra smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "You obviously weren't paying attention to the announcement. Every single one of us is either mated to, or is a dragon slayer, which comes with dragon slayer hearing. The moment you pulled Cristoff away, and started your conversation with him, each and every one of us heard every word. So do you want to try that one again?"

"There is no way you can prove this." Kurino stated calmly, drawing her shoulders back.

"Oh no? How about the fact that the king himself, and Farron are sound mages, able to focus in on their surroundings, or seal sound away?" Lucy stated smugly, keeping her hand tucked into Arman's elbow as they stepped up to join the others.

"And what reason would my mate have to lie about something like that?" Kaleb asked. "He can hear souls, and I can read minds. Add in dragon slayer hearing, two sound mages, and I'm pretty sure we can speak to the Duchess, and your attendants and they'd answer any questions we asked."

"My attendants would do no such thing. They wouldn't turn against me." Kurino stated certainly, fighting not to think about what would happen if her attendants provided any of the information, and how they would be disciplined.

"Seriously? That's what you do to discipline them? Father, I think we may want to speak to the king of Bosco." Kaleb continued quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the gathered attendants who he had noticed before seemed to have dulled eyes. Without a word exchanged, Cobra turned his back on the princess and approached one of the attendants that were gathered around them in a loose circle.

Letting his hands drop, and tucking them into his pockets, Cobra stopped at the first attendant, a small young woman, brown hair, dulled blue eyes, staring at him with no real emotion. Listening carefully, he could hear the sweet sound of her flute like soul, being muffled by her insecurities, and fear of Kurino. Smiling slightly, he knelt down before her, glad that some surprise flared to life in her eyes as he brought himself to just below her eye level so she wouldn't have to crane her neck. He didn't need to look to know that Kurino was fuming, and while she had attempted to stop him, Kaleb, Arman, and Lucy had shifted to block her.

"What's your name?" Cobra asked.

"Don't you dare answer him!" Kurino snarled.

"You will be silent Princess, before you dig yourself a further hole beyond your attempt at treason." Arman stated calmly, meeting her furious gaze without flinching.

"You were saying?" Cobra asked softly, keeping his body relaxed, smile and gaze soft and encouraging. "Just focus on me."

Clearing her throat, shifting her feet, the young woman found herself drawn in to the soft smile and purple gaze of the prince crouching before him. "K-Kayla." She whispered, swallowing hard at the cursing she heard erupt from the princess she served.

"Just on me. Kayla huh? Pretty name. Are you happy with Princess Kurino Kayla? And you don't have to answer verbally, just let your feelings answer." Cobra encouraged gently. The sense of despair and internal crying that exploded from her, followed by memories of endless abuse, and the tears that fought to escape her, had Cobra struggling to not turn on the princess right then and there.

"Kayla? Do you want to stay here? In Archipelago?" Kaleb asked, quick to come over and provide some assistance in helping calm her. The desperate look in her eyes as she looked at him had his heart breaking, and without a word he turned to his father with a nod.

"Princess, I do believe you've overstayed your welcome. Our guards will see you out, you are banned from this kingdom, and I will be speaking with your father at your attempt of treason. Further more, your attendants will be staying with us. They'll be given employment here in the castle, and will no longer be your concern. Vander, Rogue, if you'd be so kind to help the princess to her ship, then come back, I'd appreciate it." Arman stated coolly. Just as Kurino was about to lash out at her attendants, she found herself restrained by shadows as Vander stepped out of the shadows cast by Arman, followed by Rogue.

"Absolutely father, I'll be more than happy to help escort her off the grounds." Vander said softly, his eyes alight with anger at the fact that she had tried to do so much in so little time.

Looking around, Kurino finally noticed that the rest of the guests were acting as if they weren't seeing anything out of place, and felt her jaw drop as she found herself surrounded by each prince and princess of Archipelago, glares directed at her. A movement caught her eye and she saw a young man with black and white hair step up beside Cobra, clasping his shoulder as he narrowed his own gaze on her.

"Everyone thinks that the group of you are dancing, and that the Princess left because she wasn't feeling well." The man spat out the word princess like it was something that tasted foul to him.

"Thanks Midnight. Illusion mage, a strong one. The only ones who know what's really happening are the mages of White Sea and Fairy Tail who've been here since this morning, as well as your attendants." Cobra explained with a smirk at the confusion resonating from Kurino's soul. "Now, princess, I think it's time you left."

With that the circle of attendants and gathered royal family parted as Vander and Rogue flanked her, a mix of White Sea and Fairy Tail mages stepping forward to provide further escort of the princess out of the castle.

"Now that that drama has been handled, we should get back to the ball. Wendy, thank you for handling the waiter, ladies," Arman turned to run his gaze over the still in shock attendants that he had taken in. "Please enjoy the evening, and when you are ready, find one of us and we'll get you to a room for the night and get you set up in the morning."

There were so many frightened looks from the attendants, Arman nodded to Kaleb and Cobra who stepped in to handle it, Kaleb nudging them mentally out of their terrified frozen states, while servants came to help them from the dance area over to the dining hall. It hadn't gone unnoticed that none of Kurinos attendants had been allowed to eat or drink anything all evening.

The dancing resumed, Farron leading Wendy away, she had blood on her gown now and besides that, he honestly wanted time alone with her. Their "romance" was barely a week old and already they were married, mated, and Wendy had been crowned. He'd grown up knowing he would marry, possibly someone he didn't know too well, and even he was a little overwhelmed.

He led her out into the gardens and sat beside her on the edge of the large fountain among his fathers emerald and hyacinth irises.

"Thought you could use some quiet for a bit. I know I could." He said and she sighed nodding.

"That woman...she wants you, you specifically, I could feel the hate toward me radiating off of her...it was thick…" She observed.

"Princess Kurino has been after me since we were children…" Farron admitted. "I never liked her, she was always too harsh...enjoyed being cruel and was...forceful...pushy, never took "no" seriously. When she turned 12 and it was time for her induction into womanhood, she had her father petition for me to be the boy to go through it with her. I was 13 and it's always a boy a year or two older that is used. The girl gets to pick. It works the same way for the boys." He said. Wendys eyes widened.

"Did you do it?" She asked. Farron frowned "I did. I didn't know her, and I was often requested for inductions until I got too old at 16. So I was her first, and she always said she wanted me again, wanted me forever…" He shook his head.

"Crushes on induction partners aren't all that unheard of, but they're discouraged, she wasn't allowed contact with me until we were older but she never dropped it." He said sadly. "I think I've told her a hundred times I don't want her, I'm not right for her, but she just...never listened. She took my brothers, Kaleb, Cristoff several times, Vander once….made sure I knew about it every time she successfully got one of them too. Dad did what he could but politically, it was such a touchy thing. Position or not, standing or not, we didn't need to build an enemy on Bosco. But that's where it all comes from...I'm sorry Wendy."

She moved into his lap, his arms steadying her and holding her firmly against him while she kissed him. She had learned she really, deeply, loved kissing, whether that was because Farron was so good at it, or because of their bond or whatever, she didn't care, she just really enjoyed it. Whatever came, whatever happened, as long as they were together? She would be fine. The music changed, a distinct beat picking up, and Farron pulled back, chuckling as two familiar voices carried out to them. Wendy looked curiously at him "Vander and Emzadi have taken over the stage…" He chuckled.

"They sound wonderful together..." Wendy murmured, letting her eyes fall shut and swaying as she listened to the music drifting out to them. Feeling Farron shift next to her, she opened her eyes once more to find him standing, hand held out to her with a soft smile.

"Dance with me love." Farron purred, and when she gripped his hand, he pulled her into his arms, and under the gentle moonlight, danced with her through the gardens.

Neither noticed the lone person watching them from a second floor balcony in longing.

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It wasn't something any spirit of the celestial realms saw...almost well...ever. Draco, massive powerful, one of the generation spirits. Pacing, his stars shifting about in their armor, looking uncomfortable but knowing better than to leave since he'd not bidden them to.

Loke narrowed his eyes, Scorpio hovering over his shoulder.

"See? He's been like that for over an hour." The scorpion told him. Lokes first inclination was to snicker and walk away, enjoy the discomfort of the leader of the generation constellations like he so often had enjoyed it when Loke had been stressing over one thing or another,something Loke did far more often since his key wasn't linked to a bloodline but to an individual wizard and while he adored his keyholder and would be devoted to her for all time, Lucy had a tendency to get into a lot of trouble.

Heaving a sigh he was about to go down and find out what had the 200 foot long dragon pacing like a worried girl when the Spirit King himself appeared before the Dragon.

"Ok, he's coming, are you ready?" The King asked the dragon, not bothering with pleasantries. Draco froze in place, his anxiety displayed in his right front claw not coming to the ground even for a moment while his luminous silvery eyes widened then returned to normal.

"No, but we're out of time...I didn't think he'd be able to master that last set of challenges this fast…" The dragon said.

"We can't keep him up here, his mate is starting to suffer and he feels that, he's felt her for years, and this last few months the pull has gotten powerful on him, it's your damn magic Draco, you know what it does. As soon as you put your soul into him this moment was set, his mate was chosen and their paths laid out. His siblings have all mated, it is time, you know it is." The king said.

"I know, it's just...he's my first, I've never raised a slayer before and he has a heavy burden to bear...Nurem said he was ready two years ago, would have sent him home but….Sire...the enemy they all face…" The dragon growled and the King clapped the beasts shoulder making even the massive Dragon stagger a step.

"He'll be fine. Leo! Get your ass over here old friend, this involves you too!" The King called and Loke jumped, hurrying forward to where the King and the Dragon stood.

"Sire...asshat." Loke greeted them in order.

Dracos eyes narrowed and silvery glittering flames erupted from his nostrils when he snorted "Watch it kitty cat, I'm not in the mood." Draco rumbled. Loke smirked, deeply enjoying being able to get under the other constellations skin for once.

"What is happening sire?" He asked the spirit king who smiled.

"Dracos son is being released from training. So he can return to Earthland and his family, claim his mate." The king replied.

Loke blanched, eyes widening under the knowing smile of the king and narrowed eyes of Draco.

"He...he mastered that challenge? It's only been a few months...Draco said it would take him a year or more...I…" He pushed his glasses back up his nose staring at the ground.

"You're ready aren't you Leo? All of the leaders were given plenty of time to prepare for this day, you had a simple task compared to all Draco has been doing." The king noted with a smirk.

"I..that is...yes, of course your Majesty, I've been ready for more than a year really." He said firmly.

"Excellent, because here he comes…" The Spirit king turned from the two anxious constellations as a burst of purple and gold heralded the arrival of a tall figure in golden armor. Long black wings folded in and vanished and a golden sword writhing in brilliant fire faded and vanished from his hand. In the other he carried a smiling pink haired woman over his shoulder. He set her on her feet before the three, reaching up to pull his helmet off, long mahogany hair falling free around his shoulders.

"He completed his challenge your majesty, I was untouched, not even grazed by anything through the entire thing 6 times in a row." The pretty spirit grinned running a hand over the gold and silver pauldron on the mans armor.

"Thank you my dear." The spirit king raised a brow as the little star continued to smile up at the man in the armor, not realizing she'd been dismissed.

Draco rolled his eyes, it's what they got for pulling a star from Cassiopia. "Enough thank you, stop fawning over him." He snapped and the star ducked her head and hurried off to the side wide eyed under the greater constellations dark look.

"I want to get down to Earthland Draco, I've met every challenge, mastered them all, even this last one which I swear you made to be unbeatable. My magic has been stable for more than 8 years now…" The man in armor said.

"Zen…" Draco started but the Spirit King cut him off.

"You are released from your training Zen, you will retain your title here as my ward and Prince, it's only fitting since you are a Prince on Earthland as well. Your contracts with the spirits bound to you will activate fully once you are on Earthland and you can begin your quest to find your mate once those contracts have all been solidified and your gate use to Earthland is strong. That may take a bit, you are not to leave Archipelago until that is done Zen. I won't have the first Celestial Dragon Slayer out in the world with faltering gates." The Spirit King said firmly.

Zen frowned but bowed his head. "Yes Sire. I'll activate Dracos first." He said, looking up at his Draconic father who narrowed his silvery eyes on him.

"Cygnus or Aquilla, Vulpecula, those would be better choices…" He growled.

Zens eyes lit, glowing gold. "Not if I want to assure my set up is swift...which I do. My mate is unhappy, I can feel it, I've felt it for months, I need to find her sooner rather than later."

"Venatici and Lealaps would be your best bets for aid there. Finding her won't take long, You have found and are bound to the constellations and stars that will aid you best Zen. Ursa has even been activated and you won his key." Draco said. He'd set Zen after the hardest to win of the keys, generation and diamond keys some having never been held before, were now bound to his son.

He'd made every step of the way as hard as possible, slowed the process in doing that too, saying Zen needed to be strong, and he did, but under it all, once Zen returned to Earthland, he would again be Armans son, a Prince of Archipelago, human, and Draco would still be his draconic father, but not the father he would turn to...Arman would take that place back.

Draco loved Arman, he was a generation bloodline bound spirit, his love and loyalty to the Pradesh family ran deep and he took great pride in being bound to the line, loved that his key would be active in Zens service. He knew how Arman and the whole family had suffered, missed Zen, knew it so very well, but letting him go, sending him to Earthland to face all that lay ahead, he'd known it had to happen, it was coming, there was no avoiding it, he'd delayed it all he could but it still made his heart ache.

He missed his own children, Arman was blessed with one of their reborn souls and had gotten to raise him, Draco had in turn gotten this new "son" a part of his own soul resided in Zen, he was loathe to let him go.

"We've been through this how many times? I am ready, let me go! I can feel her! I can feel my father missing me, my brothers and sisters! My LIFE!" Zen shouted.

Draco winced and the Spirit King set a hand on the dragons shoulder, raising his hand. "Your gate is opened Zen, return to Earthland." He said, Dracos eyes flew wide but he couldn't make so much as a sound before Zen, smiling, vanished in the familiar golden flash of his magic.

He felt his presence go, felt it cross the voids and closed his eyes against the wave of loss, his time with the Archangel was not over, but his time having him as his own was, he would share him from this moment on.

For a dragon, loss of such a treasure was painful.

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Married, coronated….so many of her friends it was staggering. Lucy had been happy during the whole thing, or at least better able to fake it, but now, she walked down the stairs in the castle to try to clear her head. She had watched Wendy and Farron last night as they had walked the gardens beneath the balcony of her room, Wendy being swept up into her husbands arms, now the crown princess of this gorgeous country, bound to it forever, and to Farron, and he really was as close to the Prince every girl dreamed about as it was possible to be.

She'd even bumbled her way to a quiet section of the palace hoping to find some peace, looking for the library and nearly walked in on Sting and Xally, who were making out in a little sitting room.

She knew her friends, her Nakama, still loved her just as much as they always had, but she still felt so, isolated. She knew none of them meant to distance her, none of them were doing a thing trying to, it was just, when she talked with Levy now, her friends eyes would wander to her mates, haze over a little for just a few moments, warm with private thoughts and memories she knew were only shared between them.

Conversations at the table now would cover things like possible families, children, houses, yes they still grinned and laughed and looked forward to spa days and shopping and jobs and Grand Magic games etc, but husbands, mates would come up, a shared experience for most of her friends now, even Erza had Jellal, Cana had been drifting a little, the big beastmaster, Beck had interested her, then Vanders friend Presca had caught her eye at Levys wedding when she'd been pouting about not being able to land anyone to have a bridesmaid wedding hook up with.

Lucy didn't know if that had worked out for her or not, but Cana had vanished before the flowers were tossed...that Lucy had caught...ugh. Insult to injury, thanks Gods.

Even Cobra who she had enjoyed verbally sparring with, would seek out his mate, spent most of his time now either leaning back into the bigger mages arms or somehow touching him, even as they would chat his hand would be idly massaging Kalebs thigh or fingers would be playing with his hair.

Natsu, her best friend, was happy, in true Natsu fashion he'd thrown all he was into his relationship with Cristoff, and loved his tall handsome mate madly, while Lucy had always complained about Natsu breaking into her apartment and stealing her food and sleeping in her bed, now? She missed him.

As she crossed the grand courtyard she tried to think of where to go and couldn't make a decision, letting her feet move and just looking around her, along for the ride. Archipelago was beautiful, all of the islands were, but as they had flown over them touring them from the air one had stood out for her, almost called out and when she reached the rail station she saw the line that would stop at Angeal Reata and stepped into one of the cars.

The rail system for Archipelago was unique and beautiful, the sleek trains travelling over and under both land and the tranquil sea kept stable by the massive reefs that surrounded the chain of islands. It enabled passengers to truly enjoy the incredible beauty the isles offered in abundance. Much of it though was lost on Lucy.

She sat alone and stared out the window, struggling with tears that seemed to always be lurking these days, threatening her every waking hour if her melancholy turned to real sadness, which it did sometimes over the strangest things.

She had gone to Porlyusica seeking help with this months ago and the old woman had glared at her. "You're depressed, take these, one a day right before bed but not when you're on missions and try to find a hobby or something." The woman had snapped, ushering her back out.

Like it was that simple. The pills helped, maybe, but really they just kept Lucy from getting deeply sad, the down side of that being they also kept her from feeling really happy. She was lonely, not depressed, she knew it, she wanted to be held, kissed, wanted to walk up to a handsome man, run her fingers through his hair and feel his arms around her and know he was hers.

She wanted to see eyes warm on hers with love, have sweet things whispered to her, hell she wanted wicked dirty things whispered to her! She wanted to look at a man and have those private thoughts and memories she saw all of her friends had in abundance. Wanted to talk about her future, about children, what she should get her man for whatever holiday coming up. She wanted to to be in a relationship, like her friends were, know that comfort and even the aggravations they would laughingly complain about.

She'd never been with anyone long enough or seriously enough for any of it and that added to the feelings that her friends were...unintentionally...leaving her behind, isolating her.

Her dreams were both a sanctuary and a curse, the man in her dreams had become more consistent, sometimes with the long black wings, sometimes without them, she still never saw his face but she knew his eyes, rich amethyst purple with flecks of golden topaz, his lips were always warm and soft, and he was so very good with them. He never spoke to her but she felt things, felt his need, his desire, his love for her.

Sometimes they walked, sat in a garden lush with flowers similar to the colors of his eyes, there was a fountain with an angel, a beautiful female angel holding a dragon in her arms, its long tail wrapped around her body, head on her shoulder as she held it. They would sit by the fountain and she knew they were talking but she never heard what they said, just felt things.

Always he was touching her, she could turn and push into his arms and he would hold her, kiss her. Sometimes the dreams were sweet and filled with gentle beauty, sometimes he would start undressing her and sit her on the edge of that fountain and fuck her, wild and rough and whisper dirty things in her ear while he did it.

Sometimes he'd just drive her crazy, touching and kissing her, wouldn't let her undress him. Always though, always it was him, with the amethyst and gold eyes and gold streaked mahogany hair. Farron had similar hair to her dream lover, and that was part of what had struck her so hard when they had met him, it wasn't as streaked by the sun, but that rich mahogany color was distinct.

Watching Wendy get to be the one to run her fingers through those thick locks, claim those full lips...but his eyes were wrong, pale sky blue, Lucys dream lover had those amethyst and gold eyes. It was what had stopped her from being completely upset when Farron had turned out to be Wendys mate. It still hurt though, more than any of the others, seeing Wendy with Farron...hurt.

She ached with this mysterious need and there was no direction to it. The only slight relief came from her spirits, Loke in particular. When he was out Lucy loved the way he smelled, it wasn't quite what she wanted but it was close to perfect, he smelled good to her now, a little off from just perfect, but still good. Sighing she summoned Plue as the train started forward, the little dog spirit trembling in her arms as she hugged him to her and choked back the tears that still badly wanted to fall. She breathed in and sighed, frowning slightly, Plue had it too, that slight scent that was so...soothing.

The train angled down, travelled through a cave then emerging beneath the water and Lucy was granted a wonderful view of the beautiful underwater coral and wildlife of Archipelago.

Angeal Reata was the closest island to Archipelago itself and the home of the country's famous distillery that produced the gold label spiced whiskey every man she knew adored. Her own father had kept a bottle by his desk in his office, kept for special guests or just himself, she had always loved the smell of it, their family chef had made a spiced whiskey cake that was her fathers absolute favorite, the cake and its frosting both having the whiskey in it. She'd not been able to have her own slice until she'd turned 16, though the chef had snuck her bites for as long as she could remember.

She decided she would buy herself a couple of bottles of it while she was visiting the island. Export of the whiskey was limited to a few hundred cases per year but on the island you could buy all you wanted. They didn't allow anyone to leave with more than a case though, drink all you want, but they limited how much left Archipelago.

With a goal for her impromptu excursion Lucy felt a little better. At least when her friends asked why she had left she'd have a reason to give them other than, "I was miserably lonely and being around you made it worse."

As the train angled up and slid from the brightness of the underwater expanse to the tunnel that would take it to the surface of Angeal Reata Lucy felt some of her tension ease. It was odd, but she was grateful for the relief and was almost smiling when the train emerged on the surface of Angeal Reata, gliding smoothly past luxurious fields of grains, trees, and pastureland until it finally slowed and stopped.

"Angeal Reata, passengers departing please make your way to the exits." The voice chimed over the speakers. Lucy stood, she was the only one in her train car, though when she emerged she saw a handful of other people disembarking, all heading toward the signs that indicated the direction to the distillery. It was late, most people were settling in for the evening or had already gone to whatever island was hosting whatever event they wanted to be at.

Most of the festivities were on the main island right now because of the coronation celebrations for the new royals. It was another reason Lucy had chosen to leave the main island, she just couldn't force her smiles much longer, needed a break.

The few other people leaving headed off. She smiled faintly, not following them, instead heading for the sign that indicated the path to the gardens. She wanted to walk, relax a little before she went all "tourist" and took in the distillery. All of the islands hosted their own unique flowers, and those like so many other things in Archipelago, were exported in modest amounts and were highly sought after.

She'd been impressed with the orange lilies Bickslow had said represented Levy on Anam.

"There is a flower that represents us," Bickslow had explained. "Then when we find our life partner or in my case partners," He'd smirked "the island adds flowers that represent our partners. On Anam, the island I'm bound to, the orange lilies are Levy, the black roses are Gajeel. They appeared on their own, nobody plants them, it's all related to the link we have with our islands." He'd said.

Kalebs island now was bathed in the rich silvery lavender flowers that were his, and the gorgeous toxic deep indigo flowers that were Cobras. Lucy had grinned seeing the vibrant fiery colored blooms that represented Natsu among the lush deep dark blue ones that were Cristoffs.

Little had been said about who Angeal Reata was bound to, there was a sibling none of them had met yet and Bickslow and his siblings all unanimously refused to talk about, the fact mentioning it brought pain to their faces had made it so nobody pressed them either.

Lucy had asked Arman, since he was her most frequent companion while she was in Archipelago, and had seen that pain more vivid in his eyes than in those of his children.

"My child, taken from Earthland because they were born with a dead magic they could not control in them...as a family we pray for their return but we see them….rarely... and miss them terribly…" He'd said, then changed the subject.

She didn't press for more information after that, it was too clear the King and his children had felt a loss, though the mention of seeing the child indicated they weren't dead, just...somewhere else out of reach, off of Earthland it seemed, which was pretty extraordinary.

The sun wasn't down yet, she had a couple hours before the distillery gift shop closed, she was thinking of maybe even going to one of the beautiful inns on Angeal Reata and staying there, away from all the excitement for a night.

She froze as she came through some trees to the gates of the gardens, there were natives, she saw them tending the most beautiful roses she had ever seen, a vivid amethyst color with golden edges on each petal. She approached one of the bushes, touching one of the blooms gently, its velvet petals soft and cool under her finger. There was a soft flash of gold and she gasped, jolted from her reverie by the appearance of Loke.

"You've been so quiet lately….we all have been feeling it, I would be so willing to ease your loneliness…" He purred and Lucy rolled her eyes, brow twitching as she glared at him.

"You know Loke, I'm having a rough spell and you fucking know it, I don't appreciate you trying to take advantage of it." She said unhappily, marching past him farther into the garden.

He fell into stride beside her giving her a disarming smile. "I wouldn't be me if I didn't...now what's troubling you Princess? As leader of the zodiacs who love you, it's my responsibility...and honor...to try to help." He said.

She sighed, shaking her head, eyes drifting over the gorgeous roses and getting sad again.

"I don't know Loke...I'm just...lonely. I've tried dating, it's like there's nobody out there that wants me for me, either they just want my body or they don't really want a real relationship or….most of my friends have found people, lifelong relationships, deep wonderful committed bonds so they won't be alone again and….I want that!" She sighed, looking at the lion spirit in frustration.

"Mates, Dragon Slayers, Seith mages, I'm sure there are some others who bond, deep and totally….you know when I learned about Dragon Slayer mating, how deep the bonds were, how devoted the Dragon Slayer was, how the magic made that connection so total and so complete, I've wanted that ever since...how would that be?..." she drifted off, eyes getting wistful. "To be loved like that, to love like that, to know with no doubt the person you love would never leave you, ever, that they would love you for all time and with all that they were and you could trust it, feel free to give all of yourself, lavish all your love and devotion on them because they would never betray you…." She frowned. "I know I've been saying this for months now…"

She realized her vision was swimming, she was crying, and had no idea when she had started to. "So many people have hurt me Loke, my mother died, my father abandoned me emotionally, then Natsu and the whole guild just….left...after I gave up Aquarius for all of them, every one of them...they just walked away like I meant nothing to them….all Natsu left was a note…" She sobbed.

"I don't know if I can trust anyone again, I feel like I can't be happy, can't believe in anyone anymore and I don't want to be like that!" She cried, and she was sinking, about to go to her knees but Loke caught her, guided her a little farther down the path and turned her to sit on something before tilting her face up with a hand under her chin.

"You aren't like that Lucy, You've never been that way, you're caring and forgiving and strong and loving, it's your nature." He told her firmly, lips pressed together. He could tell her...he could, internally he struggled with knowledge he had he probably could share at this point, that might make her feel better.

He just wasn't sure, if he told her what he knew she would have tons of questions, would demand to know more and he could tell her little, and it might make it worse, make her feel worse because once she knew, she would want to know why, she always had to have the answer to "why" in everything.

"I want to love, I want to BE loved, I want to matter to someone special, someone who will want me...I...I don't even know why it's gotten so important to me, why I keep thinking about it! I just can't stop, watching everyone around me fall in love, get married, it's made it all so much worse and I feel terrible that I feel terrible!" She shook her head, knowing it all sounded half crazy, it FELT half crazy.

"Princess...there's somebody out there for you, there's someone for everyone…" he added to prevent the questions he knew she'd hit him with if he didn't and she gave him a weak look.

"I don't know Loke...I just…" she looked around, they were in a small area free of rose bushes and she was sitting on, by the sound and smell of falling water, a fountain. Turning to look at it she almost fell off it in shock.

In the center was an angel holding a dragon.

"Loke...this fountain…" she breathed.

He frowned seeing nothing special, it was very beautiful, but they were in a garden of gorgeous flowers, he knew the significance of the fountain to the Pradesh family, and to the island they stood on, but he wouldn't offer that information without being forced.

"It's lovely Princess…" He hesitated, seeing her staring hard at it.

"I've...I've dreamed about this fountain Loke...more than once…" She breathed, running a hand over the edge moving until she knew her hand was right on the spot where her dream lover had set her once before he'd made love to her.

"You might have seen it in one of the brochures for the island, the distillery, they use this fountains image on their bottles Princess and I know you've seen those…" It was lame, and he knew he should just tell her the truth, but he couldn't bring himself to say it, once she knew everything would change and he wasn't sure he was ready.

Lucy shook her head. "No...no...oh gods, maybe, maybe I am going crazy, Loke what's wrong with me?!" She wailed, sinking to the soft grass and crying and Loke didn't know what to do, even seeing her doubting her own sanity couldn't quite spur him enough to shake his tongue loose to tell her. Instead he stood where he was.

"You're not crazy Princess, it will be ok, I can rub your shoulders…" he tried a weak pass and she glared at him through her tears and forced his gate closed, curling up on the cool grass and crying.

Dreams were an escape, a comfort real life wasn't giving her and in her dreams he was here, warm arms circled her, pulled her into a firm chest, kisses were pressed into her temple and in her dreams he just held her, no words were spoken, no flirting no heated sex, just the comfort of his arms around her, their bodies pressed against each other.

In her dreams, she was cherished.

"My wife, and my second born son...that's who they are…" Armans voice came to her and Lucy jerked up from the grass, rubbing at her sore crusty eyes and blinking, seeing the King sitting beside her in the grass. He smiled down at her. "I don't know why you're here, or why you have been crying my dear, but this fountain has seen many tears over the years, mostly my own." He sighed.

"It's your wife?" She asked, voice cracking and Arman nodded.

"My wife and our second born son...he was taught dragon slaying magic. He was born with a type of magic that had been dead for centuries, Archangel magic. The problem was, there was nobody at all who knew how to help manage it and it was very powerful from the day he was born. My wife, she managed him, she was a celestial mage, like yourself, and had immense patience." He smiled thinly, eyes on the fountain.

"Had she not died I believe he would have been ok but she died when he was still a baby, became ill and nothing could save her...my son...he didn't take her death well, too little to understand but his magic seemed to, became deadly, he nearly killed a nanny, then his older brother and...a family friend had to take him away...so his magic didn't kill his family...or worse, everyone on the islands…." Arman sighed, shaking his head.

"A couple of years passed and our friend told me my son was not getting better, his magic was still wild, deadly, unpredictable, and it was possible to teach him dragon slayer magic. I thought it was insane, to teach a tiny child not one but two powerful types of magic, but it was the only hope. Dragon slayers receive a part of a dragon soul when they are given the magic, and the hope was the Dragon Soul would help to contain my sons Archangel magic...it did, it worked, but he could not come home, now needing to master two immensely strong types of magic before it was safe for him to be among normal people….I commissioned this fountain when we learned he would live...in honor of my wife on her birthday, I had it made here...on our sons island."

Lucy stared in wonder at the fountain. "That's why this island is so strong, so beautiful...it's bound to him...your son...and it mirrors him and his magic…" She breathed.

Arman smiled, eyes bright with contained tears. "Yes...I come here often, to oversee the distillery, and to visit this place...when he visits, which is very, very rare...he appears here when he comes, usually he can only stay for a few days, I think in all the years he's been away he's been home a total of less than a dozen days, but at least he does come, and I can see him, hold him, I've gotten to see him grow, albeit in staggered bits, but when last I saw him, he was taller than me...growing strong...we pray one day soon he can return for good, live his life at last." He sighed again, standing and going to stand closer to the fountain.

Turning he looked at her. "You've been troubled, more by the day, I've seen it even if your friends have not. I don't know what it is eating at you dear girl but I know you should confront it. Perhaps go home ahead of your friends, get busy at the things you do, address your life with your full enthusiasm and whatever is troubling you will fall into place as all troubles do when we apply ourselves." He said.

Lucy smiled, the first genuine one she'd had on her face in months too. "You are a good friend your highness." She said softly. He smiled at her then.

"I hope you see me as such my dear, now come, lets go sample some whiskey, they're pulling some 25 year barrels to bottle today, I'll let you take some home." He held his hand out to her and Lucy took it, letting him pull her to her feet and taking his arm gratefully.

She had no answers, no solutions, but direction was at least a start. She got to tour the distillery with the King, and sampled the whiskey being pulled for bottling, smiling when Arman had a box with a dozen bottles wrapped up and sent to be shipped to her home in Magnolia.

"I am sure you know people who would love to get a bottle of that, I shant be sharing any with any of your friends or even my children here, this was a special batch I had made when my wife found out she was pregnant with our second son, I won't sell a single bottle of it. So it will be a treasure for sure." He smiled and Lucy watched the workers press the beautiful labels onto the bottles identifying its age and special run.

From the distillery he saw her settled at the inn near the train station and smiled at her as they finished off pieces of chocolate covered cheesecake in the inns little cafe.

"I can have you on the airship leaving at 9 tomorrow morning Lucy, heading back to Fiore, it would be simple for me to let your friends know you decided to head home ahead of them if you wish." He offered and Lucy let out a relieved breath.

"Yes! Gods does that make me terrible? That my friends are celebrating tonight how happy they are, their bright futures and here I am running away from it…" She felt tears threaten again and choked them back.

Arman reached across the table and held her hand. "Only if their father leaving the same celebrations because he misses his wife and the son who should be here too much to endure it all himself is terrible. Lucy, there are times we endure for our friends, but you can not light yourself on fire and stay ablaze to keep other people warm all the time, you'll burn up and drift away. Go home, get out and be busy. I officially invite you to return here whenever you wish, you may stay at the palace as the Kings guest." He grinned and she smiled.

"Thank you Sire." She said and meant it.

"Ah ah, no, I am Arman to you my dear, we are friends. Now get some rest, get on the airship in the morning and if you need to talk with someone? You have my personal number in your com lacrima, I put it there, keep in touch, I want to know my friend is doing ok." Arman said firmly rising.

Lucy agreed and watched the king depart, the innkeeper eagerly thanking him for coming by and making sure Lucy had a hot bath waiting for her when she went upstairs, a friend of the King needed to be well looked after.

When she slept it was dreamless for once, and she was unaware of the presence of her spirit.

Loke appeared not long after she had fallen asleep and sat in the chair by the window watching her sleep, so torn about what he should do in the coming hours. He knew what was expected, but he wasn't a fan of drastic changes, so, once he was sure Lucy was resting peacefully, he returned to the spirit world.

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Zen blinked into the light, the sun of Earthland always took a few moments to adjust his eyes to when he emerged from a gate, HIS gate he smiled faintly at that concept. This time, he had come under his own power, his magic was strong, stable, and he hadn't had any trouble.

He knew without a doubt that he could have returned a damn year or two ago, he'd been ready then, it was ridiculous the waiting he'd been forced to do, but Draco left nothing to chance, was meticulous, there might come a time he was grateful of that, just not right then.

His fountain was running behind him and he smiled, turning to look at it and closing his eyes as a faint scent came to him, strawberries and honey, it was so sweet, so deeply alluring he felt almost drunk breathing it in.

His first impulse was to follow that scent, but his father, his family...he wanted to see them, needed to.

Reaching down he pressed his hand to the soil of Angeal Reata and pushed his magic into the pulsing power of the island chain, in doing, announcing his arrival to any on the island chain also linked to the islands.

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Bickslow was dancing, he loved dancing and was incredibly good at it. Put Levy, who was light as a feather to him into his arms and he had people stopping to watch as they whirled and spun around the dance floor.

Arman stood by Kaleb and Cobra smiling, watching his children enjoying the show Bickslow was putting on and how much happiness and enjoyment there was radiating off of them. Everyone was enjoying themselves.

Gajeel, Cristoff and Vander had been coaxed to the stage, Cristoff on a piano, Gajeel and Vander on guitars, the drummer from the hired performers grinning and backing them up.

Natsu had sat down on the bench beside Cristoff while he played, Rogue smiling having been pulled on stage, Vander perfectly happy to sling his guitar over his mate and hold Rogue hard and fast against him while he reached around him to play the guitar and sing into the mic over his shoulder.

The Shadow Slayers eyes would drift closed and he leaned back into Vander loving the feeling of having his mate dancing against his body instead of the guitar this time.

Farron was with Wendy, her back against his front, his arms around her, watching his brothers and Gajeel, swaying gently together. Laxus had Emzadi out on the floor like Bickslow was with Levi, not as impressive in his leading, but Emzadi was always an eyecatcher wherever she went and could dance as well as Bickslow, the two had gone through lessons together. Sting and Xally were close by, having commandeered a chair, Xally in Sting's lap as they watched their family with soft smiles.

"Lucy left huh?" Cobra asked Arman and the King nodded.

"This isn't about her and she felt like a third wheel, out of place and uncomfortable and I can't blame her, when you all get home watch her, she's struggling." Arman said and Cobra nodded.

"Yeah..been following that, trouble with Tink is she has this twisted idea she shouldn't share her problems on others, comes from that fucking crazy ass father of hers emotionally abusing her as a child, pushing her away and all. She thinks if she isn't all happy miss sunshine she shouldn't be imposing and all that bullshit. Wish I could punch her fucked up father in the face sometimes." Cobra growled.

Kaleb smiled at his mates protective ire. "We'll make a point of being around her Dad." He promised and Arman nodded.

"Good, she's my friend as well as yours, keep me updated ok?"

Arman was about to look for an attendant and get himself some wine when it hit.

The ground shook faintly, not enough anyone not sensitive would notice, it barely made the water in the glasses on the table nearby move, but it did and the music stopped, because other than the drummer, everyone on stage felt it.

The pulse of magic reached into all of them, Cobras eye widened and he shared the crash of isolated memories hitting Kaleb. Of a tall youth with amethyst eyes like Cobras but flecked with gold, mahogany haired like Farron but featured more like Arman, the streaks in his hair more golden. A youth with long black wings like nothing Cobra had ever seen and tremendous magic power, frightening in its depth and reach. Kaleb saw and felt it acutely because of the saturation of the light through him, this was the lost brother none of them talked about, the child Arman grieved being unable to raise himself. Zen Pradesh, second born son of Arman.

And he had come home.

Arman had only to look at the woman who ran the palace and she stepped forward, herding the musicians hired back to the stage as Cristoff stood so fast the bench flew back, Natsu lucky to have stood with him when the magic hit them.

Gajeel and Vander both slung their guitars to the stage and were jumping down, Rogue right beside Vander but they all were not as fast as Arman who was running far faster than anyone would have guessed the King could move.

The truth was there was a good reason Armans sons and daughters were so fit and well built, they had been raised training with their father, who diligently maintained his own body and magic with daily training. Arman had gray hairs peppered through his black shoulder length hair, but otherwise, his age did not show. His well tailored suits and modest clothing hid a lithe muscular body that had no trouble sprinting up stairs toward the landing pad where a small inter island airbus was always docked for his family's use and his children and their mates had to run hard to keep up with him.

"Sit, hurry." He barked,taking the pilots seat and waving to them all as they rushed aboard the ship. Farron slid into the seat beside him.

"What was that?!" Levy gasped out, Bickslow had dragged her along with him and ignored her questions, snapping at her finally to shut up and concentrate on running instead of questioning the fuck out of everything. Gajeel had backed him up so Levy had grit her teeth, bit down her tendency to question the hell out of everything before she moved and moved.

"My older brother Zen.." Bickslow said breathlessly. "Last time I saw him I was fucking 11 but I remember the way his magic felt, like I'd know any of my siblings magic, especially pushed through their island…" He said.

"Zen is here, that's how he lets us know, it's how we all usually call to each other, to Dad when we're on our islands, push your magic into the island you're bound to and it will carry it through the whole chain." Farron said.

Levys eyes flew wide, the lost brother, the one none of them talked about. "We..we're going to him?" She asked.

"He's on Angeal Reata, his island, Dad always goes and gets him, brings him to the palace, and if we're close enough any of us here go too...Zen hasn't been here in the last 4 years...his visits are always short and spread out…" Cristoff said, his usually dark eyes laced with silver hinting at how wound up he was.

"He shook the ground…." Kaleb breathed. He hadn't seen Zen in 7 years, the push of his magic through the islands shook them, it had never done that before.

"His power has been harnessed, he's been stable for a long time now, just completing his training, I'm betting he senses you're all here, that might contribute as well, the fact all of you are here at once, the magic would resonate more with the whole chain active because all of you are here." Arman said firmly, giving Kaleb a quelling look.

Kaleb nodded, looking down, knowing why his father was defensive. Zen had been so dangerous, so unstable, he wouldn't hear worries about his magic.

Cobra squeezed his hand and his frown faded, he leaned into his mates shoulder, the feelings of shame at being the one to call attention to that and unsettle his father diminished as he pressed his forehead to Eriks and Erik reached up to push his fingers through Kalebs hair, soothing, calming and reassuring.

The airship circled and landed just outside the Gardens on Angeal Reata and Arman was out before anyone, his manners gone in his need to see his son. Nobody thought twice about it, the Pradesh children knew their father cherished every second of Zens brief visits, they all did, so getting to him quickly was important.

Levy exchanged a look with Gajeel before both were eagerly looking forward as they walked swiftly into the garden and finally, coming into an open grassy area with a beautiful fountain, they found him. He stood as Arman came and the King managed to lift the big man up. Zen was nearly as tall as Bickslow, heavier built, though not as much so as Cristoff or Kaleb, like them, eye level with Laxus so at least 6'3".

Mahogany hair streaked gold in places, likely by the sun. His clothes were very much reminiscent of Lucys spirits, and Gajeel smelled the same stardust celestial realm scent he'd come to know so well on Zen. What was different was, Zen, without a doubt, was a Dragon Slayer. Gajeel felt it. Zens presence was right, and he carried the scent of dragon on him.

"Dad...Oh Gods...you're all...and who?..." Zens eyes widened taking in the people who had filed into the small fountain area. Arman set his son back on his feet, noting with satisfaction lifting him in the first place had been a strain, he'd filled out more, was better muscled, thankfully no taller than 4 years earlier. He drew a breath turning grinning to look out over his family...his whole family in one spot…his heart was so full.

"Youngest first, Vander…" He called and Vander grinned, grabbing Rogue and pulling him forward.

Zen grinned, he hadn't seen his baby brother in more than 10 years. He was tall, strong, hugged him hard and looked at the smiling crimson eyed man beside him.

"My mate, my husband now too...Ryos." Vander said brightly and Zens eyes widened, pulling Ryos in he pressed his forehead to his for a moment.

"Ryos...I wish I could have been here…" He said a distinct edge of regret in his voice.

"You ARE, Zen, the Coronations were yesterday, the final ring ceremony was this morning, for most of us!" Vander chuckled.

"I...you are all married? The ceremonies…" He stammered.

"Just completed this morning Zen, you've come just as the week of celebration started." Arman told him, beaming. That his son was here, now...if only he could have come a day sooner but Arman had learned with Zens visits never to regret or be wishful about them. They were too damn rare and brief.

"Enough staring though, we never have enough time, Emzadi!" He called and Emi grabbed Laxus and pulled him forward to meet the brother she had only seen twice in her life. It didn't matter though, the bond was there, she still loved him, had sat across from his empty place setting at every meal growing up and rejoiced when he was there to sit at it.

"Emi? Gods you're tall!" Zen laughed and Emzadi hugged him to stop him.

"My Husband and mate, Laxus Dreyar." Emi said, smiling a moment later from her brothers arms at Laxus. Laxus would have, if he could, avoided the hug but Zen was Armans son and pulled him in.

"Married a day, mated how long and my sister already pregnant? You sir, are a Dragon Slayer after my own heart." He laughed and Armans eyes widened, it wasn't visible yet, he'd already declared Laxus his favorite son-in-law for it too, but it was amazing Zen knew.

"Healing magic Dad, remember I have some...and Dad...we have all the time in Earthland, I've been released from training, I am officially home for good." He said.

Arman gaped, they all gaped, then there was a general almost stampede and Zen was crushed by his family's hugs and tears flowed down every face.

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The celebration for the marriages and coronations became a homecoming as well. Fireworks flew from every island but none so brightly as from Angeal Reata, who celebrated the return of their lost Prince with immense enthusiasm. The beautiful town around the distillery was covered in lavender and gold lights and dancing and feasting was done almost around the clock.

News of the return of the second Prince of Archipelago escaped Armans control quickly, the people of the islands far too happy to keep it to themselves and he'd known they wouldn't.

Rotbull bent over the railing of the ship hovering off shore, they were nicely hidden among the many vessels sailing about the islands, covered in flowers and lights, shooting fireworks intermittently to fit in. With the high powered lacrima binoculars he could see him all of them, the whole Royal family. He was there to see if the news was true and smiling faintly, taking in the tall handsome Mahogany haired Prince he lifted the com to his mouth.

"It's true Mistress, he's here, grew up nice, heavier built than Prince Farron, sexy as hell too." He said.

"Don't touch him, do nothing, let them have their fun, keep eyes on Prince Zen though, I have a feeling he might leave the islands, and if he does…" The female voice purred and Rotbull grinned.

"Aye Mistress, I'll keep Miss Lula on him…"

* * *

*wipes forehead* whew...we made it to the end of Mind, Body and Soul...uh...crud...so yea...about that...this was the end of this story, but Desna and I already have the first chapter of the sequel ready to be posted hopefully sometime in the next couple of days! Please don't kill us! Hope you enjoyed Mind, Body, and Soul, and please keep an eye out for Beyond the Stars, where we'll follow the Pradesh family on their journey, and find out more of what has to do with Lucy!

*squeaks and runs away*


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